Flowers
by Androfirestrike
Summary: Yachiru wants a mommy, but the girl she picks out for Zaraki is much more complicated than any normal woman. Can Zaraki and the woman get along or will there be no big, happy family in division 11? Prequel to Petals. Kenpachi x OC. COMPLETE!
1. Little Flower

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach or its characters as they belong to Tite Kubo, but I do own my Original Character in this story, Kohana Hisakane.

* * *

_The girl sighed. Was she dead? No. She could still feel her body and soul attached to each other. She felt like dying, though. Another sigh escaped her lips as she felt her heart. She realized she couldn't die yet. Someday she would die, but she did not want to die right now. A slight tear rolled down her face as she got up from the dirty streets of Northern Rukongai. The girl's bright pink and red hair flowed in gently in the breeze. It was messy, but it didn't matter. Her kimono was in pieces, her left sandal was broken, her hair was a mess, she wore no makeup, she hadn't slept in days and she hadn't eaten in forever. None of that mattered, though. Only one thing mattered:_

_"I will become a Shinigami."_

_Yes, that was the only thing that she could say as she walked forward on her brand new path. She no longer wanted to be that pathetic girl._

_"I will become a Shinigami."  
_

* * *

**Ch. 1: Little Flower**

"Ken-channn!"  
"Ken-channnnnn!"  
"KEN-CHAN!"

Zaraki Kenpachi, taichou of the eleventh division of the Gotei 13, finally awoke from his boredom induced slumber.

"Hey, brat, didn't I tell ya to keep your voice down when people are trying to sleep?"

The large captain glared at the small girl, his fukutaichou, Kusajishi Yachiru, although his glare had no effect.

"Uh-huh. I remember that! It's not like I'm gonna listen, silly!"

Yachiru grinned, making Kenpachi's face turn to a small smirk. It wasn't unusual or him to take a nice nap at his desk, instead of doing his paperwork. It was quite strange for him to do so, since he had to do both his and his lieutenant's paperwork, but he enjoyed being a rebel. Today had been a very good nap day, until his fukutaichou came bursting through.

"Did you forget, Ken-chan? Today we get new recruits!"

The small girl practically danced with glee at the thought of new recruits to torture---er, "Play with"---for hours and hours.

"Che."

That was the best response Kenpachi could muster up before being pulled away from his desk by his fukutaichou. She led him right outside the eleventh division's HQ. There was a line of what looked to be five people. He sighed. A loser, a nobody, a zero, a tough guy and a...girl?

"Interesting..."

Kenpachi's comment was late. Yachiru had already began "playing". He gave his creepiest grin possible and, not a surprise, three out of the five flinched at the sight, although the girl was not one of them. If first impressions were anything, then these new recruits probably thought they had been dragged into the worst squad ever. Kenpachi gave a small chuckle as he watched the pink-haired girl go through the line. She poked and prodded each recruit and gave each a rather stupid nickname. She figured that for every name, she would give a better nickname. Better? No. Stupid? Yes, but Kenpachi would never tell his fukutaichou that. He glanced over at the final recruit in the line, the girl.

"I'm Hisakane Kohana. Nice to meet you."

Now, if you said having a girl in the eleventh division was strange, you'd be right. Kenpachi didn't _hate_ women. No, infact he _liked_ women quite a lot, but women did not _like_ division eleven. Women _hated_ division eleven. Any girl assigned to division eleven was gone by the end of the week, tops. They were either fed up with Yachiru's "playing", complaining constantly of how the division's training was "inhuman" or completely offended and fed up of being either physically or verbally harassed by the other members. Women could not make it in division eleven and if you couldn't make it in division eleven, you definitely didn't get respect in Kenpachi's eyes. Women were weak on the battlefield, all women except for Yachiru, that is.

"Hmmm...Hana-chan! Yep! You're Hana-chan!"

The peculiar girl smiled. Yachiru and her looked almost identical in a way. The girl was older, but both had pink hair and red eyes! The girl's hair was messy and long. The bottom half of her hair was a blood red, while the top half was a bright pink. Her strange hair was not nearly as strange as her smile. It was half worried, half sincere. It could send shivers down any normal man's spine. Luckily for her, Kenpachi was no normal man.

"Hana-chan, huh? That's _really_ creative, Kusajishi fukutaichou!"

"Yachiru, please! Call me Yachiru!"

The girl had lied immensely. Calling her "Hana-chan" was the same as calling her by her real name, Kohana. Both names meant "little flower".

"Ikkaku! Yumichika!"

Kenpachi finally yelled for his two most trusted men. He started to move to the side as the bald man and pretty man came out.

"Let me see how powerful these bastards are!"

Ikkaku and Yumichika turned around to look at the five new recruits, then back at their taichou. He had already sat far away, fukutaichou by his side. Ikakku and Yumichika knew this wouldn't be much of a challenge.

"Ya heard him! We're here to test your power! So, which one of you wants to go down first?"

"Get ready for ME!"

Not a big surprise, the first guy who wanted a fight was the tough guy.

"Ugh. What an ugly face! Why don't you handle this one, Ikkaku?"

Yumichika quickly walked over to join his taichou. He didn't really need to, though. The fight was over in a matter of minutes. Ikkaku and Yumichika let out sigh after sigh, each man alternating opponents back and forth. The tough guy, the zero, the nobody and the loser were no match to the two men. All that was left was the girl, Kohana.

"I can assure you I won't go down as easily as those four!"

"Finally! A pretty face!"

Yumichika stared in awe at the only other pretty face around. Kohana gave a small laugh, pulling her Zanpaktou out.

"Sorry, Yumichika, but I get this on, right?"

Ikkaku gave a small smirk. The pretty man sighed. It was sadly true. Him and Ikkaku had been alternating opponents so the bald man and pink-haired woman were set to fight each other. Yumichika moped over to his taichou again, mumbling something about a lack of pretty faces, but still having absolute faith that the other man could handle her.

"Let's see what ya got!"

"Oh, you'll see..."

The girl raised her Zanpaktou in a fighting pose. Ikkaku quickly drew his own out in response.

"This will be super fun!"

"Your arrogance will be the death of you."

Kohana gave a small giggle as she took a fierce run towards Ikkaku. Both sealed Zanpaktous locked for a moment before Ikkaku managed to push her back.

"Damn. Ya actually got some power behind that Zanpaktou of yours. I might actually have to get serious on ya."

She looked up at the man as they both regained their footing.

"Aw? You weren't serious to begin with?"

Her smile turned into a smirk.

"Well, I wasn't serious either!"

Ikkaku glared at her. He shouldn't have to stand there and take her arrogance! He took his sheath and quickly stuffed his Zanpaktou's hilt into it.

"Grow, Hozukimaru!"

His shikai turned his normal blade into a fierce, spear-like weapon. Kohana's eyes widened with excitement as she stared down Hozukimaru and the man behind the weapon.

"Wow! Hozukimaru looks quite strong, but..."

She paused, tightly gripping the hilt of her Zanpaktou.

"Goodbye...Yasashika!"

Her blade grew larger and wider at those words. The faces around were amazed. No other new recruit was able to pull off their shikai and not many could even imagine a small woman picking up a giant of a sword like that! Kohana smiled, lifting Yasashika as if it weighed nothing at all. She quickly shunpo-ed her way to Ikakku, waiting to get a good hit on him when she was met with a surprise of her own. As Ikkaku attacked her, Hozukimaru transformed into a three-part staff.

"Ugh. What the hell was that?!"

Kohana barely dodged his last attack. This was getting tough. She thought for a moment about the tricks up her sleeve and which one she should use. Kohana sighed as she thought of the perfect attack. It was cheap, but she could win. She didn't want to show anyone _that_ attack yet, but there had to be a price to proving herself in her division.

"Too bad this fight's going to end so soon. I was _really_ enjoying it."

The half worried, half sincere smile she was fond of wearing formed on her face as she ran with an even quicker intensity than before, her blade dragging behind herself. As she came in close contact with Ikkaku, she picked up Yasashika. It was far from an easy task for when she was picking up her sword, she also had to doge thrust after thrust of Hozukimaru.

"May the devil drag him down, Yasashika!"

Her blade grew red and with a quick slash in the air, the ground below Ikkaku started to crumble. He was literally and metaphorically being dragged down to hell.

"Wh-What the hell is this?!" Ikkaku yelled.

Kohana laughed at the man.. Before he knew it, he was almost completely underground. The only thing she took mercy upon leaving above ground was his very bald head.

"Ooh, Baldy looks like a mole!"

Yachiru ran up to Ikkaku, giving him a gentle kick in the head.

"That was an excellent fight! If I had been having a bad day, I might've lost!"

The woman laughed as she basked in her glory. Kenpachi grinned at the sight of actually seeing a strong, grown-up female. He walked over to the newly formed crowd. Everyone was in an uproar over Ikakku's defeat, though cheap defeat was a better term for it. Then again, cheap or not, defeat was defeat and that's the only thing that matters when fighting for your life.

"That was awesome! Right, Ken-chan?"

"You know it, Brat."

Kohana overheard her taichou's words, smiling big and brightly at him. It only confused the hell out of the latter.

"That was awesome, Hana-chan!"

"Think so, Yachiru?"

The two girls grinned and smiled as they returned laughs back and forth. Kenpachi's gaze turned towards Ikkaku who was being helped out of the ground by Yumichika and the four other new recruits. Kenpachi gave a small inward chuckle as he turned back to Kohana and Yachiru. Could this girl really make it in the eleventh division? Maybe...

"Hey, Hana-chan? Wanna go get ice cream?"

Then again, Maybe not...

**-end ch. 1-**

* * *

**A/N:** So, here's chapter one! I hope you enjoyed reading it! (This will probably be my longest Author's note, BTW) This fanfic was inspired by the mysteries around division 11 and **takes place a little bit before the Bleach storyline**. I wanted a character that would be a good motherly, yet also very sisterly figure to Yachiru. I wanted a character to explain why division 11 has no 4th seat or why they never show their 4th seat. I also wanted Kenpachi to get some love, if you know what I mean. (Hehe.) So yeah, Kohana was born! I'm enjoying writing her development. I will be keeping the theme of Flowers and so each chapter will have the word "Flower" in it. Pay attention to the scene before the chapter name. It's important. Oh, BTW, I personally think I suck at writing fight scenes. I'm much better at writing romance scenes. Yet, I did do research into a lot of Bleach things, so the fights wouldn't be excruciatingly bad. Anyways, Read and Review or the wonderful SetoBatman will be sad, very sad indeed. D: 


	2. Training Flower

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach or its characters as they belongs to Tite Kubo, but I do own my Original Character in this story, Kohana Hisakane.

* * *

_The girl walked and walked until she couldn't walk anymore. Where was she going? She didn't know. She knew the name of the place, but not the location._

_"Seireitei..."_

_That's all she could say as she looked up. Big, stone walls stared back down at her as if they knew she was nothing more than the pathetic girl she no longer claimed to be.  
_

_"Seireitei?"_

_She glared at the walls and gate like she expected them to move on their own. The gate did not move, though. Her legs collapsed after a while. She was left to sit in front of the gate, tears struggling to flow free as she felt her heart again._

_"I'm sorry, Yasashika."_

_"I'm so sorry..."  
_

* * *

**Ch. 2: Training Flower**

"You expect me to stay _here_?"

Kohana scowled as she looked around the eleventh division's barracks. There was nothing, but unruly men, a foul odor and futons scattered about. Her gaze titled over to an empty place, one she knew was specifically for her.

"Sorry, flower girl, but Zaraki Taichou said you ain't special just cause' you're a woman!"

"I wasn't expecting any special treatment, but this place..."

The girl turned, eyeing the man who was introducing her around. Of course the bald-headed man was not paying attention to her! She had given him a humiliating defeat, but still, why did he have to be so rude? Maybe she was cheap in their fight, but she did not like being ignored and mocked. Kohana both needed and desired respect. All of these men were horrible, unruly and very unpleasant, even the new recruits! The pink-haired girl sighed, turning back around towards the door.

"Oh come on, flower girl! Where ya going? I haven't even showed you to the bath!"

Ikkaku yelled, trying his best to make Kohana turn back around. Unfortunately, it had no effect. What did have effect was something else. A drunk member of the division thought he could _force_ her turn around by grabbing one of her shoulders. It worked, but in a very surprising way. The normally cheery woman turned around fiercely. Her ruby eyes glowed with more intensity, the blood red color grew more intimidating. She looked as if she could slaughter a thousand men!

"I do not like being touched! Not by men, not by women, not by _anyone_!"

Her face grew bitter. Her smile was completely gone. Her face held an expression that made hr look as if she had never once smiled in her life. All of this was noted as she caught the attention of every division member in the barracks.

"Unless we are in a battle, don't touch me. Now, if you excuse me, I will be sleeping outside."

Kohana quickly realized she had lost her temper. She blushed furiously as she stormed out the barracks. For that one moment, she seemed to be a different person. Everybody stared at the open door, no one daring to follow her because no one really cared. She was new so no one had really got to know her. That's how it is when you're new, Kohana figured, everyone could care less.

"Oh, there's a good one!"

A medium size tree caught Kohana's attention as she walked around in the summer night. The tree was located on top of a hill and looked like a great place to sleep under. She didn't mind sleeping outside. She had done it before and she was doing it now. The summer sky was an intense black, making every star shine brighter. The stars were the perfect thing to keep her company. She didn't need a man. She didn't even need people. She didn't need anyone, but herself.

* * *

"Apparently, Training starts at 7am." 

The pink-haired woman looked around the empty field. It had two trees and no one, but her in it. She was told it was division eleven's "training field", but she had a bit of doubt in this statement. After all, there was no one "training". It was even a little after 7am, but no one was there at all. Kohana hadn't even slept well the previous night! Had Ikkaku lied to her to her about the time? If he did, he would most _definitely_ regret it.

"Next time I see that bastard..."

Kohana's words drifted off as she thought about causing bodily harm to the bald man. She laughed and giggled at the thought of ways to get him back Her thoughts were interrupted, though, when an involuntary yawn escaped her lips.

"Damn. It's all _his_ fault. I wouldn't feel as tired if I had something _else_ to do. It's so boring just standing here!"

She felt her eyes close for a moment, but Kohana wouldn't succumb to sleep that easily. She reached for her eyes, taking time to run a fist lightly over each one. The area underneath her eyes was sensitive and sore; at least, it felt more sensitive and sore than usual. Her eyes had a sort of "permanent eye circle" underneath them from her extreme lack of sleep. She probably could have even passed out right there had it not been for a certain group of voices. Kohana's gaze turned up from the moist grass to see none other than Ikkaku, Yumichika and a good portion of her division.

"Oh, Flower girl, ya here already?"

The pink-haired girl's eyes looked all over the training field, trying not to pay attention to the men in front of her. Her Taichou and Fukutaichou were nowhere to be found.

"Come on, Ikakku. The least you could do is address a _beautiful _face by her _beautiful _name…"

The female shinigami looked around even more. She didn't want to listen to the bald-headed man or the peculiar pretty boy.

"It doesn't matter to me. I could give a rat's ass what you call me; as long as I get respect I'm fine."

She paused.

"Which reminds me, Madarame, that you told me 7am on the training field!"

Kohana quickly brought her left arm up, eyeing the cheap, black watch she was accustomed to wearing.

"Let's just say, it is not 7am! Why. The. Hell. WERE YOU GUYS SO DAMN LATE?!"

A pissed off woman caused fear into each member's hearts as each man recalled their own horrible experiences with women. It was something division eleven's members were all too familiar with. Every man looked shaken, except Ikkaku and Yumichika. Ikkaku was even poised to respond to the woman.

"Listen, woman, that is the time training's _supposed_ to start. It never does, though."

Every man laughed and agreed with Ikkaku's statement. It was sadly true. Yumichika slowly nodded his head up and down, crossing his arms.

"Yes, but Zaraki Taichou still insists that training starts at 7am. He doesn't usually get here from 9am to 10am. So if we do not start training now, it will look as if we did not start on time."

The thought of Zaraki Taichou being unpleased was terrifying, to say the least. The way each member present on the field sprung to life and began running laps around the trees was amusing. They ran as if their lives depended on it. Kohana chuckled as she also ran, but at a much slower pace. These men probably didn't even know what stamina is, much less how they could preserve it. She made another turn around the tree. It was her twenty-second lap, yet she didn't feel tired at all. Her eyes looked over at Ikkaku and Yumichika. They looked to be taking notes instead of running. Kohana had to admit to herself, she envied them. She didn't really want to run laps, but she had to. She would prefer to stand to the side and watch all the others run and sweat. Her thoughts were interrupted when she had to jump over some member's body. It was a shame that he already passed out from exhaustion.

"Aw, damn. Some of em' out already?"

And there was Kenpachi Zaraki's booming voice, controlling voice, commanding voice, the voice that could get him anything he wanted with only a couple of words. In a matter of seconds, countless men rose to their feet as if they needed to prove something to their Taichou. Kohana, of course, kept on running.

"Which bastards haven't stopped yet?"

Kenpachi looked over at Ikkaku and Yumichika. The two men responded by quickly scanning the group, then back at their documents.

"Only eight members, unfortunately."

Ikkaku and Yumichika took their time to point out each one. Although this wasn't the entire division, this group was sure as hell a lot.

"…And Hisakane Kohana…"

Yumichika stated _her_ name. He pointed towards her and continued stating the rest of the names. Kenpachi could care less, though. He just wanted to see if _any_ of the new recruits had made it. He was rather curious when it came to new faces.

"Hey. How many laps has she done?"

"Hisakane? Oh, twenty-eight."

Kenpachi's eyes widened. She was surely interesting for a new recruit. Interesting, nothing more or less.

"Work em' for an hour more. I gotta get back."

Neither man needed to know where Kenpachi was going back to. They both had an idea where "back" was and it involved a certain pink-haired Fukutaichou. Each man grinned, determined to fulfill their Taichou's orders.

"Ya heard him! One more hour then you guys can rest!"

No other eleven words could put so much disappointment in the hearts of division eleven's men

* * *

"It's no use!" 

Yachiru yelled loudly. She had taken residence in Kenpachi's office for the day. She mumbled something again, crumbling a sheet of paper.

"Ken-chan and Hana-chan _have_ _to_ be together!"

The small girl sniffed as she crumbled yet another sheet of paper up. She had been trying to formulate a strategy to get her big, strong Ken-chan together with the cute, tough Hana-chan. So far, she had nothing. Yachiru decided to give up for a while on her scheming. She instead decided to take a notepad off of Kenpachi's desk and draw a picture of her "perfect family".

"Yachiru! I'm back!"

The Large man had already heard the small hums of his Fukutaichou. As he entered his own office, he noticed the various papers were crumbled about. He could barely tell where the floor began and ended.

"What the fu-"

"KEN-CHAAAN!"

Kenpachi was fiercely tackled by the pink-haired girl. She was giggling with excitement.

"Soooo…how's Hana-chan?"

"Huh? Her? She was fine, I guess. Ikkaku and Yumichika were trainin' her like all those other bastards."

Yachiru gave a huge grin. That was good. If Kohana could handle division eleven's training, she definitely could handle division eleven's Taichou.

"Why so interested in her, Yachiru?"

He had to know why the small girl was focused on knowing more about the older woman.

"Silly Ken-chan, it's cause' you two look good together!"

She gave a thumbs-up and quickly ran back to her drawing. Kenpachi lightly blushed. He had not just heard her right, had he? There was no way he would look good next to a delicate looking thing like her! She may be able to run laps well and she may have even been able to defeat Ikkaku, but she probably couldn't even make it on an actual battlefield with all her "female emotions" and crap like that.

"Yesterday, Hana-chan took me to get ice cream and after that we went shopping and she bought me lots and lots of things. She's fun and she really really really likes fighting. She's the perfect girl for you, Ken-chan!"

Kenpachi growled, taking a seat at his desk. He had to start his paperwork, much to his own dismay. As he grabbed his calligraphy pen he began to speak.

"What's the point of finding a woman for me anyways, Brat?"

The large man woefully asked as if he didn't want to know the coming answer. For crying out loud, he had only met the girl the previous day!

"Yachiru wants a family, silly, and you can't have a daddy with no mommy!"

Yachiru had finally finished coloring her picture. She gave a large group of giggles before shoving the Picture in Kenpachi's face. It was a poorly drawn image of herself, Kenpachi, Kohana and a group of men, presumably division eleven's members. Up in the sky, she had written two words: "_Yachiru's Family_".

"Well, I guess I'll try bein' nice to her, but I ain't promisin' anything!"

He smirked as he looked at the drawing again.

"Yay! Yachiru's so happy!"

Kenpachi gave a large chuckle as the small girl hugged him tightly. One step had been taken towards "_Yachiru's Family_".

**-end ch. 2- **

* * *

**A/N:** Wow. Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter. This chapter's a bit longer. I haven't decided how this story is going to go, but I think it will continue with Yachiru pulling schemes to get Ken-chan and Hana-chan together. Most of them probably won't work, too, because Kohana's a bit complicated. I'm also planning for a rematch between Ikakku and Kohana. That will be fun. Also, this story is probably going to be more humorous than romantic or action-packed. Yep. Read and Review and you'll make SetoBatman a happy little girl. :3 


	3. Wishing Flower

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach or its characters as they belong to Tite Kubo, but I do own my Original Character int his story, Kohana Hisakane.

* * *

_The girl had seemed happy for the first time in her life. She __**seemed**__ happy, but she wasn't truly happy. She never would be. Any days she had off would be spent by a small pond she found quite enjoyable. It was small, quiet and no one bothered her. She would sit and cry and cry and cry until she couldn't cry any more. She sat by the pond's edge one day, continuing her routine until she heard a voice._

_"Who is that?"_

_She wondered. The girl stared at her Zanpaktou._

_"I am the only man who ever loved you..."_

_At that moment, her tears completely stopped. She didn't feel like crying anymore. Each word she heard made her heartbeat faster._

_"It can't be..."_

_She tried over and over to deny what she had heard._

_"Y-You're dead to me!" _

* * *

**Ch. 3: Wishing Flower**

"Bald Eagle! Graceful Swan! Come in Bald Eagle and Graceful Swan! Can you hear me?"

"Graceful Swan here! I hear you loud and clear, Pink Swallow!"

"...Eagle here. I hear you fine, Yachiru..."

"It's Pink Swallow, Bald Eagle! Pink. Swallow. Use your full code name, too, otherwise we won't know if it's you!"

Ikkaku, Yumichika and Yachiru lurked around the streets of Seireitei. Each one was assigned a Walkie-Talkie by Yachiru, much to Ikkaku's displeasure. Each one _also _had a code name and that was also very much to Ikkaku's displeasure.

"I just don't get why we have to have these stupid code names anyway!"

The bald man protested into his Walkie-Talkie as he pushed through a busy crowd of shinigami. He didn't mind having code names, but _his_ code name was just unbearable. Bald Eagle? It was so embarrassing saying it out loud. Thankfully no one could care about a third seat talking into a Walkie-Talkie and using embarrassing code names today. Today was special. Today was the annual Tanabata Festival.

"Well, Bald Eagle, it's because Pink Swallow _secretly_ wants to get Black Dove and White Crow together for Tanabata. Did you forget?"

Yumichika said into his Walkie-talkie. He paused as he looked for Ikkaku in the crowd of Shinigami. The pretty man didn't really care too much for the plan, but since Yachiru had let him pick the code name "Graceful Swan", he was more than happy to help.

"But couldn't we do this without code names!"

"No. They're important. Now commence operation Ken--I mean, White Crow!-- and Black Dove's Tanabata love fest!"

All three division eleven members were in position. Yachiru had paused near a a small clothing shop. Ikkaku and Yumichika had each other in sight. Both men still couldn't believe they had agreed to help their pink-haired fukutaichou in her shenanigans.

"Bald Eagle! Graceful Swan! You two will close in on White Crow! I will be working on Black Dove. Call me if you need backup. Roger?"

"Roger, Pink Swallow!"

With that, Yumichika and Ikkaku were over and out.

* * *

"Yo! Zaraki Taichou!" 

Ikkaku and Yumichika had met up and were on their assignment: Confirm Kenpachi Zaraki's feelings about Tanabata. Every one new that Kenpachi was going to the festival, but it was only because of Yachiru that he was going.

"Huh? Yumichika? Ikkaku? Whatch'ya doin' here?"

Kenpachi turned around. It was obvious that the Large Taichou was walking back to his office for an early morning bout of paperwork.

"Well, Yachiru wanted to know if you were going to Tanabata-"

"Of course I'm going to that damn thing with her!"

A long silence filled the air between the three men. So he didn't like Tanabata? Well, that was also pretty obvious, but maybe it wasn't so to Yachiru. The pink-haired fukutaichou also wanted Ikkaku and Yumichika to inform Kenpachi of how Kohana would be attending the festival with them.

"Hey, ya do know that Yachiru's bringin' Flower Girl, right?"

Kenpachi's eyes widened. Flower Girl? Yachiru didn't tell him that she was bringing Kohana. Was she serious about getting a "family"?

"Really now? Tanabata might be more interestin' than I thought."

The large man smirked as he turned back around to go to his office. That girl was interesting. Tanabata, however, was not. Being with her and Yachiru later on would definitely brighten up his boring day.

* * *

"Hana-chan! Hana-channnn!" 

Yachiru yelled, playfully running up to meet Kohana. The pink-haired woman stopped dead in her tracks upon hearing her fukutaichou's small voice.

"Oh, Yachiru? What do you want?"

"Are you going to Tanabata tonight?'

Kohana turned to look at Yachiru. Her face was a mixture of shock and confusion. It was like the word "Tanabata" harbored a deeper meaning behind it in her mind.

"Tanabata? I'm sorry, but I don't like fes-"

"But nothing! You _have_ to go, Hana-chan!"

The two pink-haired girls stood still for a moment. Their eyes locked as if they were having a staring contest. A small silence was followed by a loud chuckle as Kohana couldn't keep a straight face.

"Really? Why do I _have_ to go?"

Yachiru held a finger to her own lips. It looked as if she was thinking long and hard about something.

"Cause' Ken-chan will be lonely without you!"

The absurd statement that came out of Yachiru's mouth made Kohana laugh even harder.

"Ha-ha. I seriously doubt that, but I guess I'll go. I don't want my Yachiru-chan getting lonely on me, do I?"

Kohana knelt down, placing a hand on Yachiru's head. The two girls laughed as if they were sisters, the two girls embraced as if they were mother and daughter and then two girls then smiled at each other like they were the best of friends.

* * *

"Sasa no ha sara-sara, nokiba ni yureru. Ohoshi-sama kira-kira; Kin Gin sunago..." 

Everyone's favorite pink-haired Fukutaichou ran about the festival streets singing the traditional Tanabata song. She wore her best yukata, her pink, adorable one. The one she only wore for special occasions.

"Yachiru has a great singing voice. Don't you agree, Taichou?"

Kohana watched Yachiru zig and zag between various festival stands. The pink-haired woman wore a very different yukata than the smaller girl. It was a deep red and matched the bottom portion of her hair. She didn't look much different. The only thing different about her was her clothes. _"She didn't try too hard to impress me, did she?" _Kenpachi thought as he gave a large growl.

"Yeah. Yachiru _sure_ does."

The large Taichou responded slowly. He despised festivals, but festivals never felt the same way. Whenever he was with Yachiru, he was drawn to Festivals. His yukata even expressed the exact feeling he felt when going to them: Black, plain and boring.

"Hana-chaaan! Ken-channn! You two need to have more fun!"

Yachiru yelled from a nearby stand. In a split second, she was gone and back in front of their eyes. The pink-haired girl quickly grabbed Kenpachi and Kohana's hands and pulled them into a crowd of partying shinigami.

"Oh, look who it is, Ikkaku!"

Yumichika gracefully walked out of the crowd. Ikkaku stumbled right behind him as he made his way through the crowd of other high-ranking officers. They looked to be writing their Tanabata wishes.

"Ya three should grab a tanzaku and write your wish or before ya know it, it'll be midnight!"

Ikkaku seemed to be half-way to being intoxicated completely.

"Good idea, Pachinko head!"

The pink-haired Fukutaichou said as she jumped over the bald man to get three tanzaku. She already knew her wish, but was ecstatic to finally be able to write it down.

"Now, now, Yachiru...You still have until midnight to write your wish. Don't be hasty."

Kohana tried to hold back a laugh as she watched Yachiru jump on her bald rival's head again. This time, though, she held three tanzaku and wore an even larger grin. She smiled intensely as she handed Kenpachi and Kohana each a tanzaku.

"Silly Hana-chan! I already know my wish!"

Yachiru looked around for the nearest writing utensil and as soon as she found it, she stole it. She then quickly wrote her wish on her small piece of paper. Without hesitation, her wish was then held up for everyone to see.

"Make Ken-chan and Hana-chan fall in love?!"

Kohana yelled Yachiru's wish loudly while Kenpachi tried to take a more "I'm not here. I'm not _here_! Please, no one notice me!" approach. This was news to Kohana and more serious than Kenpachi thought. Yachiru wasn't serious. She was _damn_ serious and she probably wouldn't stop until she got her way.

* * *

"Hana-chan, it's almost midnight and you haven't made your wish yet!" 

Yachiru stated the obvious. It wasn't that Kohana didn't want to make a wish, but that she had no idea what to wish for. What could she possibly want? Money? No. Power? No. Love? Definitely not. What could she wish for? She had everything she could possibly want, but...

"Wait! I got something!"

She finally came up with a good wish.Kohana looked around as she grabbed the pen Yachiru graciously offered her. Her unfeigned smiled glowed in full effect as she wrote one word on her tanzaku.

"You should hang it next to Ken-chan's!"

The smaller pink-haired girl pleaded. Kohana's smile widened to a smirk. _"She really does want us together, huh?"_

"Oh. Zaraki Taichou already made his wish?"

The two girls hurried to the bamboo which held both Yachiru and Kenpachi's wishes. With around thirty minutes until midnight, most people had already made their wishes. Kohana was one of the few who hadn't made their wish.

"Yep! Ken-chan also makes the same wish every year!"

Kohana reached up so she could finally place her wish on the bamboo. She smiled as she placed her wish next to Yachiru's and not next to her Captain's.

"Every single year Ken-chan wishes to find strong people! He makes the same old, boring wish every year, but-"

"Oh really? I don't make the same wish _every_ year!"

Division eleven's Taichou wandered over to Yachiru and Kohana. He clutched his head as if he had a very large headache. It was probably true considering how Yachiru's normal 9 o'clock bed time was extended thanks to huge amounts of sugar and festival hijinks.

"In fact, this year I wished that you'd grow out of this whole "family" thing."

Yachiru frowned at this statement. She really really _really _wanted Kenpachi and Kohana together. She gave a large yawn to look as if the effects of too much candy had worn off.

"Hm. I don't think it'll work, Taichou, but your efforts are greatly appreciated."

The pink-haired woman quietly giggled. Kenpachi shook his head, knowing she was absolutely right.

"Hey, Yachiru! Over here!"

The large shinigami looked up to see Yumichika carrying a passed out Ikkaku. He had called out for Yachiru and the latter ran to him as quick as she could. Dammit. This was one of her schemes to get him and his subordinate alone together.

"Damn, she's good. I wish I was as smart as her when I was a kid."

Kenpachi noted the sadness in the female shinigami's voice. She wasn't overly happy, like she was when she was with Yachiru, and she wasn't acting tough, like she was when she was around most all of division eleven. Was this her real self?

"She may be bright, but she can be damn annoying."

A long, awkward silence filled the air between the two shinigami. While Kohana was nervous about what to say, Kenpachi had no _idea_ what to say. It was a very awkward time for both of them.

"Kusajishi. That's the district she's from, right?"

Kohana stared deeply up at the sky. She didn't want to look at her Taichou and the sky was quite amusing. It looked cloudy, even though it was night.

"Yeah. I found her there."

A longer silence mingled in between them. It was a tenser silence that made Kenpachi question why the pink-haired woman was so fascinated by the sky.

"Hey, Zaraki? You know the legend behind Tanabata?"

"Nah. I'm not in to that kind of stuff."

"Hmph. Really?"

Silence twist and turned in the sky. The faint summertime sound of crickets and frogs chimed in when no one spoke.

"A young girl named Orihime sat by the the river of heaven as she weaved cloth for her father, the king of heaven. She worked so hard to please her father, that she never had time to fall in love. Her father grew concerned about her and so he arranged for Orihime to meet Hikoboshi who worked on the other side of the river. They fell in love and married, but once married Orihime refused to weave cloth anymore and Hikoboshi let his cows run all over heaven. Orihime's father was so displeased that he forbade Orihime and Hikoboshi from seeing each other. Eventually, though, Orihime had cried so much that her father agreed to let her meet Hikoboshi, but only on the seventh day of the seventh month and only if she did all her work."

Kohana smiled as she continued to stare up at the sky. A single raindrop fell from the dark sky and in seconds her once unfeigned smile was wiped clear away.

"The first time they met, there was no bridge. Orihime cried so much a flock of Kasasagi came and promised to make a bridge so she could cross the river of heaven and see Hikoboshi."

The female shinigami sighed as she felt more raindrops splash her head.

"If it rains, the Kasasagi can't come and Orihime and Hikoboshi have to wait until next year..."

Kohana's eyes finally came off the sky. She looked down and pulled the left sleeve of her yukata just enough so she could see her watch. It was five minutes until midnight and raining. Kenpachi sighed. He wasn't in to moments like this.

"Guess we should go find Yachiru. Right, Hisakane?"

The pink-haired girl stared at the bamboo that her wish dangled on. "_It was such a good wish, too."_

"Huh? Oh yeah! Let's go."

The wind picked up as the rain fell harder and harder. As the raindrops played with the soaking wet grass, the wind decided to dance with the tanzaku. The marvelous dance of the tanzaku revealed one word, Kohana's wish:

"_Acceptance."_

**-end ch. 3-  
**

* * *

**Translation Notes: **_Tanabata Festival- _Star Festival 

_Yukata_- Relaxing clothes.

_Tanzaku_- Small pieces of paper

_Kasasagi_- Magpies

"_Sasa no ha sara-sara, nokiba ni yureru. Ohoshi-sama kira-kira; Kin Gin sunago..."_- "The bamboo leaves rustle, rustle, shaking away in the eaves. The stars go twinkle, twinkle; Gold and silver grains of sand..."

**A/N: **Sorry for not updating quick. I've been busy. I hope this long chapter makes you forgive me. Anyways, I enjoyed this chapter. I thought it would turn out bad, but I like it now. I wanted to make it clear that it was summer, so I did a festival scene. I love festival scenes! I also love the code name scene. That was so fun to write. Ugh. That story in there is true. I did some research behind Tanabata and I found that. It's so sad. Read and Review! You don't know how happy good reviews make me!


	4. New Flower

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach or its characters as they belongs to Tite Kubo, but I do own my Original Character in this story, Kohana Hisakane.

* * *

_She smiled. The girl was growing stronger with every passing day. Slowly, but surely she was growing a backbone. The girl was so strong that she no longer felt like crying, but still somehow she felt sad inside. She sat by the pond she loved one day. Not only did she see the reflection of the girl she hated for so long, but she saw something else. She saw hope._

"_Yasashika, why do people kill?"_

"_I don't know."_

"_Yasashika, why do people love?"_

"_I don't know."_

_The girl sighed. There was no hope in her Zanpaktou spirit's words. There was only sadness and pain. She didn't want to feel emotions like that ever again._

"_Yasashika, you're hopeless."_

"_...I know."  
_

* * *

**Ch. 4: New Flower**

"Sometimes, I wish I didn't get days off..."

Kohana slowly said as she positioned herself underneath her favorite tree in Seireitei. It was the first tree she slept under after she became a division eleven member. She yawned, not bothering to finish her last statement which most likely would have ended with a: "Days like this are always so boring."

"Hisakane-san!"

The pink-haired girl sat up, not to look at the loser of a man running towards her, but to get a better look at the surrounding trees. It was no longer summer, but a clear and crisp autumn day. The trees had begun changing colors, shedding leaves, and getting ready for the coming winter.

"Hisakane-san! Zaraki Taichou requests your presence in his office!"

"Doesn't that bastard know it's my day off?"

"Yes, but it is urgent! He requests your presence immediately!"

The female shinigami looked at the lowly man. He was her superior in that he was a seated officer, but still addressed her so formally. That was probably due to the fact she had faced him earlier this week and "completely kicked his ass" as Ikkaku so formally put it. She gave her amazingly powerful and fearsome smile. The "sincere looking, but oh so fake" smile got to almost every man she had ever met. _"Serves that coward right! He interrupted my peace and quiet!"_

"Yeah, Yeah. I'm sure it's damn urgent, but urgent or not, I'll get there when I damn well feel like it."

The pink-haired woman finally stood up. She had no interest in seeing her Taichou, Ikkaku, Yumichika or even Yachiru today. All Kohana wanted was some peace, quiet and some time alone, but that would never happen. After all, she was in the rowdiest division of the Gotei thirteen.

* * *

"Zaraki Taichou, I am here as you requested." 

The female shinigami glided into her Captain's office. As soon as she walked through the door, she was greeted by the insanely painful glomp of her small, pink-haired, energetic Fukutaichou.

"Hana-chan! Hana-chan! Ken-chan's got something reeeeeaaally important to tell you!"

The pink-haired woman gently pushed the girl off. She smiled. _"Great. Last time she told me that, I ended up being assigned to do the whole squad's paperwork for whole damn week while that bastard went off with Madarame and Ayasegawa to the living world." _Kohana thought as she looked around. Her Taichou, Ikkaku and Yumichika all had various "serious" looks on their faces. _"But I don't want to do paperwork!" _Kohana would have burst into tears had they told her she had more work to do. No work was good work in her mind.

"Che. You're my fourth seat now, Hisakane. Congratulations."

Kenpachi grumbled as he looked through various paperwork. The word "Congratulations." was said as if to mock the female shinigami and what she actually did for his division. _"Fourth seat? Why- Why would I be...How could I be the new-"_

"I can't be your fourth seat, sir. That position is already filled by Daisuke Kobayashi. Did something happen to him?"

"That bastard? He died this morning. The spot's open now."

Kohana took a moment to think about the former fourth seat. He was a _nice_ man. Yes, "nice" was a good word to describe him. A plain, boring, but _nice_ man. He was always stuck with menial jobs such as cleaning up Kenpachi's office, doing the long and boring paperwork that was required for each division and killing small fry hollows. A pathetic but _nice_ man who had no one to mourn for him. Kohana actually pitied men who had no one, but themselves.

"Sir, if I may ask, what qualifications do I possess that would make me good enough to be your fourth seat?"

Sure Kohana was excellent at zanjutsu, decent at kido, could handle her shikai very well, almost achieving bankai, and beginning to master her hoho and hakuda skills, but was she really fit to be division eleven's fourth seat? Maybe this promotion was also due to the fact that she always arrived early to every training session, that her fellow division eleven member had finally began to notice how great of a fighter she was, that she never missed a division eleven meeting and... _"Hmph. Now that I think about it, there's no better person for the job! He'd have to be an idiot if he didn't pick me..."_

"Listen, Hisakane. You got two things I value: power and loyalty. Ain't that enough?"

"Do I get paid more?"

"Yeah."

"Then it's more than enough."

Ikkaku and Yumichika looked to be bored out of their minds. Kohana smirked, knowing that she was now superior to Yumichika and almost on par with Ikkaku. She didn't need to question why Yumichika couldn't be the new fourth seat. He'd most likely give her an answer like: "The number four is such an ugly number. It doesn't suit me at all."and Kohana would laugh and laugh and laugh until she was all out of breath. The female shinigami couldn't keep her smirk from widening into a grin at this thought.

"Ya may be the new fourth seat, but I'll be the judge of whether or not you deserve that title!"

Kohana's bald-headed rival stepped up to get a good look at her. The pink-haired woman sighed. She looked at her Captain, who was practically grinning with excitement. Even Yachiru was bouncing off the walls more than usual. At times like this, she had to wonder if she had been set up...

"You want a rematch _that_ bad Madarame? Well, It would be unkind of me to refuse!"

The female shinigami looked around the room one more time. Yes, she had _definitely_ been set up...

* * *

"Let's get this straight, flower girl, no cheap tricks and no cheating. A fair and even fight." 

Ikkaku and Kohana stood face to face in a large alleyway of Seireitei. Yumichika, Yachiru, Kenpachi and various division eleven men stood to the side to watch the upcoming fight.

"You worried or something, Madarame? Well, whatever. I'll make sure we have a repeat of last time."

"There's absolutely no way _that_ will happen again!!"

Kohana laughed, pulling out her Zanpaktou. Ikkaku followed suit. The upcoming fight not only would pit Ikkaku and Kohana against each other, but it would pit their Zanpaktous against each other as well. Both Hozukimaru and Yasashika would fight until one of their masters could not fight anymore. That was for certain.

"Hmph. With the way you act now, Madarame, I wouldn't be surprised if you never find a decent woman."

The female shinigami giggled which made a lot of the surrounding men laugh with her. The surrounding men weren't here for Ikkaku or the fight. They were here for Kohana, the "beautiful amazon of the eleventh division" or so she heard various men whisper behind her back.

"Oh yeah? That a challenge?'

"No. It's my advice to you as a woman!"

The pink-haired woman wasn't interested in men, love, companionship or any crap like that. She was here to fight and prove herself. She was in Seireitei to wear the Hisakane name with dignity and to make a certain someone proud.

"You know, how about we skip with the pleasantries and get straight to our shikai?"

Kohana asked. She already had drawn her Zanpaktou out and was ready to say her two "magic words". Ikkaku sighed.

"Alright. You asked for it..."

The bald-headed shinigami smirked. He would stuff the hilt of his Zanpaktou into his sheath and-

"Grow, Hozukimaru!"

The sword transformed into a spear-like weapon. Kohana was pleased. She hadn't seen Hozukimaru in what felt like forever. She giggled again. Her smile was now a wicked grin.

"Goodbye, Yasashika!"

Yasashika grew around three times in size. Even though she had been in division eleven for around two or so months, people still questioned how a little girl like her could carry such a big sword. There had been rumors like: "She can change the sword's weight!" or "The sword doesn't _really_ weigh anything." or "She's uses some kido spell to lift it!" and all of those were untrue. Kohana never got why men couldn't accept the fact she was strong. Not only was she physically strong, but the weight of so many others rested on her shoulders. That alone could make her tackle any task, no matter the difficulty.

"Now that we're both ready, let's begin."

Kohana shunpo-ed her way to Ikkaku, Yasashika dragging behind her. She would have to be careful to watch his movements. At any moment, Hozukimaru could break into three parts. It was an unpredictable thing, but Kohana enjoyed fighting unpredictable opponents. Predicting the other fighter's movements was half the fun, but...

"Split, Hozukimaru!"

The male shinigami's Zanpaktou split into three sections. Kohana would have to quickly dodge. Unlike last time though, she wasn't able to dodge completely.

"Ah! You...Bastard!"

Hozukimaru grazed the side of her hip, but still left a nasty cut. It wasn't too much of a pain. Kohana had definitely felt worse in her life. The cut, in fact, made her resolve grow much larger. She felt the need to defeat Ikkaku even more. Kohana laughed at the wound as she picked up Yasashika again. She tightened the grip on her Zanpaktou, quickly spinning in a circle.

"Wh-What the hell are you thinking, woman?"

Ikkaku looked around. Various members had already got as far away from whatever Kohana was planning to do with the sword. There was no way he could even get close to her without damaging himself, so he had to wait. Kohana smiled, picking up speed and eventually releasing her blade. It was headed straight towards Ikkaku. Ikkaku was even scared of a giant blade heading straight towards him. Luckily for him, it was a rather easy thing to dodge. He ran to the side, completely dodging the sword.

"What the hell was that supposed-"

In a mere second, Kohana was behind a disoriented and confused Ikkaku. She smirked as she fiercely kicked him in the back of the head. She sent his face right to the ground.

"Hm? Well a monkey could have dodged that, idiot. I was going for a surprise attack. I thought it would have been obvious..."

The female shinigami sighed. She walked over to her blade. Ikkaku was still laying on the ground. It was a shame how this fight seemed to already be over.

"I-I told you no cheap tricks, dammit!"

"Cheap? That wasn't cheap! Cheap would be something like attacking you while you were talking or some crap like that!"

Kohana sighed. That kick obviously gave him more damage than Kohana thought it would. _"Looks like I win this fight."_ Kohana proudly declared in her mind. She looked at her blade and back at Ikakku, but...

"You know ya shouldn't count your opponent out so quickly, Flower girl!"

A whisper in her ear made Kohana turn around. When did Ikkaku get the chance to get behind her? She never got time to think, though. Her thoughts were replaced by the overwhelming pain of steel in her belly.

"Damn..you...bastard..."

The female shinigami finally keeled over, a smile planted firmly on her lips. Yasashika quickly reverted back to a regular katana, as did Hozukimaru. Ikkaku smirked. It was her turn to feel defeat.

"Good job, Ikkaku."

The bald-headed man turned to see his closest friend, Taichou and Fukutaichou come near him. All the surrounding men were slowly returning to their duties.

"You didn't have to be so mean, baldy!"

"Mean? I wasn't mean at all! If I didn't give her that injury she would've never backed down!"

Everyone had to agree with that. When it came to women, Kohana was as stubborn as they get. She especially got stubborn when it came to fighting.

"You're lucky you won. Had you lost, I'd have a new third seat."

"Taichou, ya can't be serious!"

Ikkaku shuddered at the thought of being lower than Kohana. He never wanted to lose to that woman, nor did she want to lose to him. They were rivals in a sense. There was no doubt they would continue their rivalry until both of them were satisfied.

"I'm dead serious."

"So that's why _I_ had to fight her?"

Yachiru and Yumichika laughed. They both obviously knew Ikkaku was the real one being set up. Kohana's place as fourth seat would still be there, even if she lost. Ikkaku was the one who really had to worry about his position.

"Yachiru, did you send word for division four?"

"Course' I did, Ken-chan!"

Kenpachi grinned. Somehow the tough, stubborn girl he knew wasn't there anymore. The girl laying there with a smile on her face and an open, bleeding wound seemed to be a different person.

Zaraki Kenpachi wanted to get to know that person.

**-end ch. 4- **

* * *

**A/N:** Omgomgomg. I'm not dead. Seriously. I've been distracted sooooo much lately. You know how addictive Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology is? It's like crack. Also, thanks to one of my friends fangirl-isms, I finally decided to buy and play Kingdom Hearts. Ehhhh. Enough Excuses! Anyways, my brother was nice enough to download Bleach: Heat the soul 4 so I could be inspired. Since this fanfic was originally inspired by Bleach: Heat the soul 3, I thank him. I love playing with Kenpachi, Grimmjaw, Aizen and Shunsui! I don't have much to say about the chapter itself. **Keep in mind that my story takes place before the actual Bleach storyline.** Oh and any reviews make me a happy little girl. Very Happy, indeed :3 


	5. Goodnight Flower

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach or its characters as they belongs to Tite Kubo, but I do own my Original Character in this story, Kohana Hisakane.

* * *

_The girl looked around, confused as ever. She was fighting, but didn't know why she should fight. She had blood on her hands, but didn't understand why it could never be washed off. She was confused when it came to fighting and bloodshed._

"_Yasashika, I will wear the Hisakane name proudly."_

_She never would go back to that small pond again. That pond was a symbol of everything she no longer wanted out of life._

"_Yasashika, I will be the best shinigami I can be."_

_She would no longer have any doubt in her self, but had not gained enough courage to state her name loudly and with dignity._

"_I never want to be a weakling again." _

* * *

**Ch. 5: Goodnight Flower**

"Hana-chan! Hana-chan! Can you tell me a bedtime story? Pretty Please?"

"Yachiru? It's barely 1pm! I'm sure you don't want to go to bed yet."

The busy little bee of a Fukutaichou buzzed all around Kenpachi's office. Kohana sighed. This was the usual time of day her Fukutaichou was the most energetic and, unfortunately, the time of day in which Kohana was stuck doing paperwork. Her Taichou even went as far as taking a nap at his desk during this time just to abstain from listening to Yachiru's hyper outbursts and to avoid Kohana's glares and ill words as he didn't do his paperwork. Kohana hadn't even been division eleven's fourth seat long, but already had ten times more work.

"I know that, silly! I mean tonight! I want you to tell me a bedtime story _tonight_!"

Kohana sighed again. Paperwork was such a pain, but work was work and all work needed to be done sooner or later. The pink-haired woman always agreed that sooner was more likely not to get you in trouble compared to the unpredictable later.

"I guess if you want one that bad I can't say no..."

Yachiru literally jumped up and down with joy upon hearing this. Another sigh from Kohana. The pink-haired woman had wanted to calm the girl down, but she only managed to rile her up even more. At times like this, Kohana had to wonder what kind of human being could sleep through this kind of torture.

"Ken-chan! Ken-chan! Ken-chan! Ken-chaaaaaan!"

The small Fukutaichou poked and prodded the large man in an attempt to wake him up.

"Uh? Brat...? Wh' the hell y're doin'...wakin' me up?"

Kenpachi said groggily as he awoke from his not very much deserved nap. Kohana giggled lightly as she filled out more paperwork. Her Captain deserved being woke up by cute, little Yachiru.

"Guess what, Ken-chan? Hana-chan's telling me a bedtime story tonight!"

The larger man sighed as he rubbed his left eye. He looked around, noticing Kohana doing paperwork at Yachiru's desk. The spiteful glare he received back could bring down a hundred men with no problem.

"Ain't my stories good enough?"

"Course' they are, but I wanna hear one from Hana-chan!"

Kohana felt her Captain's eyes watching her every move. She unknowingly blushed under her captain's glare. She had to wonder what exactly he was thinking about...

"Ya know, I wanna hear one, too."

The female shinigami's face grew even more crimson. She sighed again. Ever since her first day in division eleven she always thought: _"What the hell did I get myself into?"  
_

* * *

"Oh, Hana-chan? Does your story have dragons in it? Oh! Oh! Or knights? Maybe princesses?" 

The pink-haired duo walked hand-in-hand to Yachiru's room. Kenpachi followed in tow. It wasn't too late. It was, in fact, almost 9 o'clock and definitely Yachiru's bedtime.

"Maybe it does? Maybe it doesn't?"

Kohana replied. The three had reached Yachiru's room in hardly anytime at all. In a matter of seconds, Yachiru had already zipped into her room and dressed herself in a pink, 'Barbie' nightgown. Kohana lightly chuckled as she imagined the blonde, lifeless doll on the front of Yachiru's nightgown coming to life. She gave a small laugh again after she realized it already had in the form of Matsumoto Rangiku.

"So you want your story now?"

The pink-haired woman nervously said as she walked over to the right side of Yachiru's already rolled out futon. Yachiru had even taken the time to fit herself snugly underneath the covers.

"I...uh...well..."

The female shinigami tried to remember the story she was going to tell Yachiru. As she looked around Yachiru's plain, but somewhat bubbly and pink room she noticed her Taichou. Kohana sighed. Her Taichou had sat down on the floor cross-legged and was very much blocking the path outside. It seemed like he was going to be hearing Kohana's story, too.

"OK now..."

Kohana took in a deep breath as she made sure her Fukutaichou was tucked in nice and tight. After securing Yachiru in her covers and making sure the girl had her favorite teddy bear, Kohana could begin telling her bedtime story. The story she had in mind tonight was a very personal one, close to Kohana's heart.

"Once upon a time in a land far, far away existed a princess-"

"Ooh! Ooh! Can the princess be named Yachiru?"

The pink-haired woman looked at her mini-me. She gave a short, but sweet laugh and decided to sit down by the edge of Yachiru's bed.

"Now, now, Yachiru. If you interrupt me too much I can't tell my story very well, now can I? Besides, this story is supposed to help you fall asleep..."

Yachiru sighed. The small girl would calm down, but only because it would annoy Kohana to be interrupted again. The pink-haired Fukutaichou also wanted to hear as much of the story as she could.

"Now, let's see...the princess? Well, she had this special power. You see, wherever she walked flowers would bloom in her shadow. It was a very very special power and most people enjoyed it in her kingdom. Most people, but one, that is. There was an evil witch and the evil witch hated both the princess and her power..."

Kohana paused as she gave a small laugh. She imagined this tale even more in her head.

"The witch hated the princess so much that she kidnapped the princess and locked her in a tower. The witch hoped the princess would never come out of the tower again or if she did she would have no more powers left. After all, what's good about leaving flowers wherever you walk when you have no where to walk to? Anyways, knight after knight came to the tower to free the princess and only one succeeded..."

The pink-haired woman sighed. She smiled a bit as she was deep in thought.

"The knight was a hopeless man, but was easily able to defeat the witch, nonetheless. As soon as he saw the princess and the princess saw him, it was love at first sight. Their love was so amazing that the princess' power grew five times as strong, but there was a problem. You see, the knight was an outlaw and he had been exiled from the princess' kingdom..."

Yachiru yawned, her eyes still filled with excitement. Kohana could tell she was getting tired, though.

"The knight never told the princess of his past, though, and fought battle after battle to protect her. He stood by her side until the day he died. They were so close to the princess' kingdom, but had been ambushed by a group of bandits. The knight managed to slay all the bandits and save the princess, but the princess became so distraught over the knight's death that she lost her powers for good this time. She then decided soon after that she did not want to go back to a disappointed kingdom and spend the rest of her life locked back up in a castle, so the princess ran away..."

Kohana paused. Yachiru had closed her eyes, but the pink-haired woman couldn't tell if her Fukutaichou was asleep or not.

"The princess wanted a normal life so she started running as far as her legs could take her. When she finally reached as far as her body could take her she was confronted by a dragon. The dragon told her of a magical place where princesses and princes like her went. The princess believed him so she went off with the dragon. They went searching for paradise..."

The female shinigami got off the floor. She knew for a fact Yachiru had fallen asleep. She turned around, wanting to go outside when she noticed her Captain. He was standing in the doorway, his eyes tightly fixed on Kohana.

"Oh, Zaraki? I sorta forgot you were there..."

"Hmph. Whatever. How does the story end, Hisakane?"

The two stared at each other for what seemed like eternity. Kohana closed her eyes as she began walking towards the door.

"Nothin' special! The princess and dragon never found paradise, the princess fell in love with the dragon and the dragon ate her."

Kenpachi quickly moved out of the woman's way. Kohana turned around, only to check if every light had been turned off and to close the door behind herself.

"That ain't happy! Aren't fairy tales suppos' to be all happy and crap?"

"I don't necessarily think so. What kind of stories do you tell her?"

Kenpachi looked Kohana straight in the eyes. Why the hell did this woman always seem to be in a bad mood around him?

"Nothin' special. I tell her bout' my battles. She enjoys that..."

"Really? Well, only Yachiru would..."

There was a long, awkward silence between the two. Kohana sighed.

"Um. Well, I guess I'll get going..."

She finally managed to get out. The female shinigami turned around to walk away.

"If ya need anythin', Hisakane, I'll be there."

Those words made Kohana stop dead in her tracks. She paused for a moment as she felt the cool breeze around her.

"That a line you use on women often?"

Kohana turned back around to look at her Taichou, but couldn't bring herself to look him straight on.

"Nah. Not at all."

"Really? Well one could only think you'd have women just throwing themselves at you, Zaraki _Taichou_."

The pink-haired shinigami implied his status as a magnet that could just draw women to him. She knew for a fact that some Captains had used their titles to their advantage and most of them had never even regretted it.

"I ain't in to easy women."

That phrase struck a chord in Kohana's heart. _"Easy women..." _Kohana gulped as she tried to suppress a painful memory.

"I like my women as strong and as stubborn as they get."

And that phrase made her forget all those memories he had just brought up.

"I'd rather die than fall in love with a man again."

Kenpachi's eyes widened. _"Again? So she has been in love before?" _He thought. The large man was both surprised and infuriated. He especially became infuriated when he thought of the bastard responsible for making his fourth seat say such a thing. He calmed down, though, when he thought of all the fun ways to kill that bastard and make him suffer.

"It's that kind of attitude that makes the fight more fun."

"Fight?"

Kohana gave a very large laugh. Only her Taichou would be so dense as to compare women to fighting.

"Che. In order to have a good fight, you need a good opponent. You need an opponent who won't give up easily."

"Same thing applies to women and sex?"

"You bet."

The pink-haired shinigami nervously grinned. This conversation was getting hilarious, but pretty awkward. There was no way she would let it continue on any longer.

"Goodnight, Zaraki."

Kohana turned to walk away. She was serious this time. The female shinigami would probably go and eat her sorrows away and then have a decent amount of sleep under her favorite tree.

"Yeah. Goodnight."

Kenpachi watched the woman walk away. As soon as she was out of sight, he turned in the opposite direction.

"That damn woman..."

The large Taichou growled as he walked back to his own room.

It was certainly getting cold outside.

**-end ch. 5-  
**

* * *

**A/N: **Well, Ch. 5 is here! Hope you liked it! Let's see, well this chapter was pretty fun. The bedtime story is a sort of big thing and it's my own, original bedtime story. It's basically **Kohana's past**, but translated to **become a child's fairy tale**. Let me tell you that Kenpachi and Kohana's conversations are great. Poor Ken-chan, Kohana's not interested in him...yet. The ending has a double meaning. Not only is it becoming winter, but what Kohana did was a bit cold. BTW, I don't hate Matsumoto. I just couldn't resist. I also couldn't resist to give Yachiru a Barbie Nightgown. C'mon you know she'd be all like: "But Ken-chan! All the cool kids are wearing it." Oh, I almost forgot! Did I tell you guys how I'm doing my story? Well, there will be an intro, 2 summer chapters, 2 autumn chapters (I just finished the last autumn chapter), 2 winter chapters, a flashback, 2 spring chapters and an ending or epilogue. Yes, I want this story to have **11 chapters**. Not only is Kenpachi division 11's captain, but he also has 11 spikes in his hair. Oh and I just realized that Kohana became the 4th seat in the 4th chapter. Pretty amazing, huh? Oh! And **in my profile I have linked various Kohana pictures** and **her hardcore playlist**. Some of **the art may have some spoilers** so be careful. Oh and Reviews make me a happy little girl. 


	6. Dreaming Flower

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach or its characters as they belongs to Tite Kubo, but I do own my Original Character in this story, Kohana Hisakane.

* * *

_The girl lay in the grass. She looked up at the sky and as she watched the various clouds go by, her eyes were filled with wonder._

"_My name..."_

_She tried to speak it, but whenever she talked her name was just a mumble and slur of gibberish. She sighed._

"_My name is..."_

_No more tears of sadness, only tears of joy._

"_I am..."_

_No more self-pity, only self-confidence._

"_I will be.."_

_No more looking to the past, only looking to the future._

"_I can't do it."  
_

* * *

**Ch. 6: Dreaming Flower**

"_Yasashika?"_

_Kohana gracefully stumbled through a field. The field was full of marvelous shades of pink and red flowers. It was hot. The sweet smell of sugar lingered in the air and with every step the pink-haired woman took, the smell grew more intense. She was running towards a man. The man was a happy man with long, brown hair and a forest green kimono. Everything about him was in stark contrast to the woman._

"_My little flower? Have you come to visit me?"_

"_Yasashika, I-"_

_The female shinigami ran straight into the man's arms. He could only smile. Kohana closed her eyes, drifting off into his embrace._

"_I never want you to leave me again Yasashika!"_

_He didn't respond. The woman tried to deny it, but she knew why he didn't respond. As Kohana opened her eyes, she noticed something different about the man. He was no longer wearing a green kimono, but a bright red robe. He no longer had long, brown locks, but a mess of gray spikes. He no longer smiled, but frowned instead. This was a different man._

"_Wake up, my little flower..."_

_The flowers around her were no longer pink and red, but various shades and hues of purple and blue. It was no longer hot, but cold and chilly. She no longer sensed the smell of sweet sugar, but the bitter smell of rain and grass. Kohana knew she was dreaming, yet she didn't want to wake up.  
_

* * *

"...Wh-wha?" 

Kohana tried to move. It was still cold, like her dream. She opened her eyes.

"Snow...?"

The pink-haired woman looked up. She had chosen a small tree to sleep under on this nice, winter night. Her kido barrier was in full effect, but she still felt cold. She wasn't getting snowed on, but the barrier was in no way blocking the cold.

"I..."

The female shinigami tried getting up. It was tougher than she thought. When she tried moving, her barrier instantly went away and Kohana was brought into the reality of the frigid cold. She needed a warm, safe place to stay for the night. The pink-haired woman didn't want to believe it, but she had to rely on some one other than herself.

"I can't..."

Kohana went over the people who she considered friends in her mind as she slowly walked forward. After all, there was no way she could make it to division four in her state. At times like this, a girl had to wonder why the healing division and fighting division had to be six divisions apart.

"I can't do it..."

She couldn't go to Momo. That girl would only freak out upon Kohana's arrival and if she could get to division five, she may as well go all the way to division four. She couldn't go to Nanao. That woman already had enough "trouble" in her life and Kohana would never burden her good friend. She couldn't go to Yumichika. After all, he slept in Division eleven's barracks. Kohana would rather die than have her fellow men and Ikkaku see her in a weakened state. She couldn't go to Yachiru. Kohana would never let the little girl she cares about see her in such a bad condition. All Kohana could do was go to _him_. She could go to her Taichou.

"You'll be there...right?"

The lovely "Flower Girl" had arrived at her Captain's quarters. She didn't intend to walk there, but her feet just wandered there on their own. The woman smiled. He was probably sleeping right now._ "I should knock, but what if he wakes up in a bad mood?" _Kohana did not want to risk her life by knocking on the door, so she decided it would be better just to try and open it. Luckily for her, Zaraki Kenpachi was either arrogant or stupid enough not to lock his door when he slept.

"Uh?...Wh' the...hell?"

The large Taichou slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes. It suddenly felt colder in his room. He then realized his door was open for some strange reason.

"Hisakane?!"

Kenpachi quickly got up and closed his door to prevent the cold from coming in further. He sighed. The pink, red and snowy white mess on his floor wasn't the type of thing he wanted to deal with right now.

"Stupid woman..."

He knelt down, nonetheless. The large man grabbed hold of one of the woman's small hands. She was shivering cold. The snow and ice all over her body wasn't helping either.

"I thought you had more common sense..."

* * *

_Kohana tossed and turned. She still had the vivid memory of a certain man in her mind._

"_You can pull through this, my little flower. All you have to do is wake up."_

"_But I want to stay with you, Yasashika!"_

"_Why? You know I am not truly him. Yasashika is merely my name. It is the name I chose because of him, but I can never truly be he."_

_She could always rely on her Zanpaktou spirit. He was absolutely right and it sickened Kohana in some ways. He was always right and he was right in this case, too._

_"Yasashika..." _

_The woman called out for her Zanpaktou spirit, but he didn't respond._

"_Yasashika...?"_

_The woman called out for the man she used to love, but he didn't respond._

"Dammit, Hisakane! When are you goin' to wake up?"

_And then there was Zaraki Kenpachi to wake her up.  
_

* * *

"Dammit, Hisakane! When are you goin' to wake up?" 

"Eh...? Go away...Zaraki..."

Kohana quietly mumbled as she opened her eyes. She felt warm for once. It was good she could rely on Zaraki.

"Wh-What the fuckin' hell are you doing, Zaraki?!"

Then again, the fact that Kohana was in her Captain's bed in a yukata that was not her own wasn't so comfortable. In fact, it was downright disturbing.

"Wh't the hell does it look like? I warmed you up!"

Kohana went over the situation in her head. _"Warmed me up? No, he wouldn't have-"_

"YOU BASTARD! How dare you touch me!"

The female shinigami tried crawling away from the larger shinigami. She absolutely despised him right now.

"All right then! See if I ever save your life again!"

"Save my life?"

"Yeah. You were almost frozen solid."

The woman looked down at her hands. He had removed her watch. It made her wonder as she felt her neck. He had also removed her necklace.

"I thought my barrier could stand up against the cold. I was...careless."

"Barrier? You sleep outside or somethin'?"

"I...Yes, I do!"

Kohana stared down. She had noticed her yukata was a deep red. She hated the red of her yukata.

"Why? I thought ya slept in the barracks!"

"No. Those men are horrible. I would never sleep in the same room with men who are meant for the battlefield and nothing more!"

"So my men never told me? They never bothered telling me my fourth seat slept outside..."

The pink-haired woman smirked. A man such as him would never care for her, she figured. He probably was just upset that the men he trusted with his life didn't bother telling him such a thing.

"It isn't like I hadn't slept outside before. It can actually be quite nice. It's much better than spending time indoors and _definitely_ better than spending time with men."

"You hate men that much? I wouldn't think ya'd swing that way, Hisa-"

"I DON'T LIKE WOMEN EITHER, YOU IDIOT!"

There was a long, awkward silence followed by the grins and chuckles of the man and woman. Their conversations were always so stupidly hilarious.

"If you don't like men and ya don't like women, who do you like?"

"Hm? Well, you're _okay_, I guess. You're not _that_ stupid."

"That ain't a compliment!"

"_Very_ perceptive."

"I...you..."

The two laughed even more. Kohana almost forgot why she was in the company of her Captain, but then remembered a certain something.

"Why the hell am I wearing this?"

"I thought it'd look good on you."

"Why do you have it?"

"Who knows?"

Kohana's eyes grew as cold as the winter night outside. She started to feel disgusted again.

"I hate red."

"It looks good on you."

"I prefer blue."

"Why?"

The pink-haired shinigami smiled._ "Yasashika..." _She remembered a night she had shared with that man and how he had asked her the same exact question.

"It's like the sky..."

"The sky ain't interesting!"

"But it _is_ blue."

There was silence. _"Of course Zaraki had to give a completely opposite response..." _Kohana thought as she laughed. He probably had no idea what made him so funny.

"Hisakane?"

"Oh shut up, Zaraki. I'm getting dressed and going to training!"

"It isn't even seven yet!"

"But it will be by the time I get there. Or did you forget that is when training is supposed to start?"

Kenpachi went over every thought he had in his head. He had been thinking for the past hour and-

"Stay with me!"

"What?!"

"Don't make me repeat myself!"

"I can't and won't!"

"You can and will!"

He had now made his move. Kohana smirked at the ridiculous request.

"Why?"

"I don't want ya to wither away."

The woman saddened. What a thing to say to her...

"I...don't want to stay."

"But you should."

"Yes, but...I...fine..."

Kohana got up. She almost forgot that somehow she had to have gotten into this red yukata. She smiled as she slapped the back of her Taichou's head, muttering a loud:

"Pervert!"

She would stay with her Captain. They would do no more than share the same room and maybe the same bed. Kohana would try to be gone when he went to bed and up and out before he went to training.

She would only stay with him for the winter and nothing more.

**-end ch. 6-**

* * *

**A/N: **I'M SO SO SO SORRY! I love you guys SO much. I went back to school and well...things got _delayed_. The long anticipated Ch. 6 is here! I am officially in love with the wonderful Zaraki Kenpachi. A certain _moment_ will be in the next chapter if you catch my drift. Kenpachi is such a pervert, but you gotta love him. You guys are slowly learning about Kohana's past, right? Well, expect chapter 7 and then a FLASHBACK! Dun dun dun! Oh, don't forget about how I linked Kohana art in my profile. Yeah. Expect chapter 7 in around 2 to 3 weeks. Sorry. D: I love you guys so much and if you review it might speed up the process. Key words on "it might". Haha. Seriously, though. Reviews make me the happiest girl in the world. :) 


	7. Inconsiderate Flower

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach or its characters as they belongs to Tite Kubo, but I do own my Original Character in this story, Kohana Hisakane.

* * *

_The girl walked around in circles, questioning one thing:_

"_What's in a name?"_

_She wanted to know why being named was such a big deal. She wanted to know why it actually mattered._

"_That was not my name."_

_She thought of that name she used so long ago. It was the name her family had called her. It was such a boring, uncreative name. She hated it._

"_That will never be my name!"_

_She thought of the name her "friends" had called her only a while ago. It was a name full of pain, anger and arrogance. She despised it._

"_Why can't I say that name?"_

_She thought of the name her one and only lover had called her up until most recently. It was a name full of love, kindness and passion. She wanted that to be her name._

"_I am, and always will be..."_

_She knew she could speak her name. All she had to do was say it loudly.  
_

* * *

**Ch. 7: Inconsiderate Flower**

"So, you're tellin' me..."

"Yep."

"You're serious, right?"

"Yep."

Ikkaku, Yumichika and Yachiru gathered in division eleven's office on a freezing winter day in Seireitei. Yachiru had been telling Ikkaku of a _very _important matter. She had stumbled across this late last night. After witnessing it firsthand she took the duty upon herself to inform third seat Ikkaku and fifth seat Yumichika of the stressing details.

"So, you're tellin' me that ya had a nightmare last night...and when you went to sleep with Zaraki Taichou in his room...flower girl was already there?..."

"Yep."

The details of the important matter made Ikkaku cringe with disbelief and Yumichika shake his head in disappointment.

"I still can't believe it..."

"Why not, pachinko head?"

"I-I...well..."

"You had a crush on her, right, Ikkaku?"

The outrageous statement the pretty man said made Ikkaku's entire head turn crimson. Yachiru could only laugh with excitement and glee.

"Baldy likes Hana-chan! Baldy likes Hana-chan!"

"I-I do not!"

"Yes you do!"

"I do not!"

The bald man and young girl retorted back and forth.

"Who in their right mind would like her? She's too stubborn, too bossy, too moody, too-"

"Oh, come on, Madarame! I'm not _that_ bad, are I?"

Out of nowhere, Kohana had appeared. Her sudden appearance made the little hair on Ikkaku's body stand straight up. As Yachiru ran towards the older woman to give her a hug, Yumichika couldn't help, but smile at the relationship the two women shared.

"Fl-Fl-Flower girl?! Wh-What are you doin' here?!"

"Oh, Madarame. I'm _sure_ I don't know. Why do you think I'd be in Zaraki Taichou's office? I can assure you I don't come here just to see you and Yumichika..."

Kohana didn't give anyone the time to respond to her statement.

"Who do you think does all of little Yachiru's work and most all of that bastard's work? It sure as hell doesn't get done by itself."

It was quite hard to imagine a girl like Kohana doing a whole division's paperwork. For most divisions, it would be inhuman, but thankfully for Kohana's sake the fact that no one would dare bothering to give division eleven loads of paperwork was a good thing.

"Well, Yachiru was informing us of an encounter she had with you and Zaraki Taichou last night, Kohana."

Yumichika gracefully said. He didn't want all the pressure on his good, old friend after all.

"Really, Yumichika?"

Kohana's face was bitter and pale. She obviously wished the pretty shinigami had never mentioned "last night".

"I hope that you both understand that I am no way romantically or physically involved with that bastard of a man. You both understand, _right_?"

The pink-haired woman glared. It was unfortunate, though, that it had absolutely no effect on anybody. After all, Ikkaku continued to sit and sulk, Yachiru was still as energetic as she was two minutes ago and Yumichika didn't even budge an inch. Kohana knew she was in a room full of very strange people.

"We understand. In fact, we're quite happy? Right, Ikkaku?"

"I'M NOT DAMN HAPPY!"

"See, he's happy, too!"

The female shinigami shook her head, mumbling the insult, "Idiots!", under her breath. She marched over to her Captain's desk, taking out both the aforementioned and his Lieutenant's paperwork.

"Does it really matter? I mean, I didn't do anything with him..."

"Didn't do anything _yet_, Hisakane!"

And then came in division eleven's Taichou. He probably had no clue how lucky he was to be a couple feet away from the female shinigami.

"I admire your perseverance, Taichou, but it is never going to happen."

Kohana sat down, starting the dreadful duty of paperwork. She was depriving her Captain of his desk, but she didn't care. He didn't need it now, she figured.

"Oh, Flower girl, Zaraki Taichou _will_ make it happen."

"But, Baldy, I thought you liked Hana-chan!"

"I NEVER SAID THAT!"

Kenpachi shook his head as he walked over to his third and fifth seats.

"You better not have said that. She's _my_ woman."

He softly said, not wanting Kohana to hear. Yachiru looked to already be bored with the conversation even before it started.

"Hana-chan!"

She yelled and ran over to the older woman's side.

"Hana-chan? Why is it such a big deal for you and Ken-chan to sleep in the same bed? I sleep with him all the time!"

Kohana blushed, almost dropping her calligraphy pen._"Oh god. How the hell am I supposed to explain that to her?" _She thought it over and over in her head.

"Well, Yachiru, when a grown man and woman are...in...in a relationship...it's a sign of...affection..."

The woman trailed on about the embarrassing subject. The three men cheered as they continued to discuss their private matters in secret.

"So ya two seriously haven't done _it_?"

"Nah. I asked her a couple of times. She refused, of course."

Ikkaku and Kenpachi slyly smirked. Yumichika couldn't help, but sigh.

"Of course you never got through to Kohana! I mean, she never told you about her...past...did she?"

"What?! She told you?!"

"Shh...not so loud, Ikkaku."

The three looked over at the current subject of their conversation. She was still trying to explain things to a confused Yachiru. Yumichika had to remind the other men again to keep their voices down.

"She told me bits and pieces..."

"Oh, I bet she led a _horrible _life! No rainbows and ponies for her, right?"

"It's more horrible than you think, Ikkaku. I actually thought it to be quite sad, but it is not my place to tell either of you. If you desire to know it, ask her yourself."

Ikkaku's sarcastic remark was met with Yumichika's bitter jab. Kenpachi shook his head with discontent.

"I don't need to know her past, I-"

"Actually, you do need to know her past if you ever hope to pursue a decent relationship with that woman."

The large man grimaced. He had absolutely no idea how to approach a woman about her "past". He didn't want to admit it, but Yumichika was right. Kohana would refuse every single one of his advances until he finally accepted her and her past.

"Dammit! How the hell am I supposed to ask that?"

Kenpachi yelled somewhat loudly. He quickly looked over at Kohana who was back to doing paperwork at his desk. Yachiru had begun drawing a picture on the floor next to her. The feather-browed man sighed and gave a large "Shhh..." before continuing on.

"Just ask her, Taichou!"

"I can't do that."

Ikkaku smirked as he stared at the to men. He had a solution.

"Then kiss her."

The awkward statement made both men react strangely. While Kenpachi stared at the bald man in disbelief, Yumichika's face held both confused and shocked expressions.

"How the fucking hell would that work, Ikkaku?"

"Ha! You go up and kiss her. She'll get pissed and storm off. Next time you see her she'll have to explain to you why she didn't want you to kiss her. Then before you know it, _it_ happens."

Division eleven's Taichou shook his head.

"Hmm? It's so crazy, it just might work. After all, she wouldn't even be in your bed if she had absolutely no feelings for you at all."

The large man also couldn't believe his fifth seat agreed with the ridiculous plan.

"It ain't gonna work, I tell you!"

"How do ya know?"

"I just know it won't!"

The third and fifth seat sighed again. Kenpachi looked over at the woman doing paperwork.

"You'll never really know until you try..."

"Yeah. A woman like Flower girl would never make the first move..."

Another sigh, this time from Kenpachi. He looked over at Kohana and started walking until his back was turned to both men.

"...I'll try it..."

He gulped as he walked over to his desk.

"Hisakane!"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm in your desk. You want me out?"

Kohana got up from her paperwork. She was about to grab the aforementioned documents when all of a sudden-

"What the fu...mm..."

Zaraki Kenpachi grabbed hold of her and Kissed her! It was a semi-passionate kiss, full of so many mixed emotions. Both mouths clashed in heavy contrast. While Kohana tasted like a sweet candy, Kenpachi was a bitter tea. The kiss lasted longer than the man would have expected. It wasn't because the woman was enjoying it. No, it was more due to the fact Kohana was in a state of shock. The pink-haired shinigami didn't move or blink. She just stood there until Kenpachi broke the kiss.

"Ohhh! Ken-chan and Hana-chan sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G..."

Yachiru laughed and continued the child's rhyme. Kohana didn't move.

"I must say, that lasted longer than I would've thought..."

Yumichika stated his opinion with little enthusiasm. Kohana didn't move.

"It seems like Flower girl actually enjoyed it!"

Ikkaku took the opportunity to poke fun at the woman. Kohana didn't move.

"Hisa-"

Kenpachi tried to speak and, oh, did Kohana move. The large man was greeted by a fierce and powerful slap in the face. A slap so powerful and strong that it made the iron hard skin of Division eleven's Captain red and swollen.

"WHO THE HELL EVER GAVE YOU THEIR GODDAMN PERMISSION TO KISS ME?!"

"I never knew I needed permission to kiss _my_ woman!"

"Since when am I _your_ woman?! I don't belong to anybody, Zaraki, and I sure as hell will never belong to you!"

By now Yumichika and Ikkaku had begun to carry little Yachiru away. This fight was definitely more intense than any of their previous ones. Even their normal fights were still loud, obnoxious and full of curse words. All something little girls shouldn't hear.

"See if I care then! I welcomed you into my home and this is the thanks I get? I see what kind of woman you are, Hisakane!"

"Whatever, Zaraki. I could care less about your bullshit opinions. Just know that you are doing your own paperwork tonight cause' I'm done for today!"

"Who asked you to help anyways?!"

"Ugh. You're just so...so..."

Kohana grimaced. The large man sat firmly at his desk.

"You're just so...inconsiderate..."

Her voice saddened in the last word. She turned around fiercely opening and shutting the door in a blink of an eye. She had walked into the snow-filled wonder that was Winter in Seireitei.

"Dammit, Ikkaku!"

Division eleven's Taichou looked at the door then back down at his desk. "Screw paperwork" he had decided. He was more in the mood for a nap.

* * *

It was dark and chilly. Kenpachi couldn't sleep. He looked around and sighed. He actually missed the pink-haired woman sleeping next to him. He missed how the woman would criticize him for little things like how could he go to bed in only his boxers, even in the winter, and not feel cold or how he got his hair done in the morning and how long it would take him to put that final bell on top or how it was inhuman to sleep as much as he did throughout the day and still feel extremely tired. Zaraki Kenpachi missed all those things, but he missed the woman who did them even more.

"Inconsiderate?"

He quietly recalled the last time he talked to her as he turned over in bed. He didn't want to understand what she meant. Oh, did it piss him off when she acted like this.

"That's what you are, you bastard."

Kohana had appeared in his doorway without as much as a sound. Kenpachi smiled as he sat up. She was wearing her red sleeping yukata.

"What took you so long?"

"You should be lucky I even showed up!"

The female shinigami closed the door behind her and wandered over to her side of the bed. She scowled as she sat down.

"Sorry, Hisakane, you just..."

"You just are too inconsiderate! Did you even bother thinking about _my _feelings?!"

She stared straight on at the man. He stared right back.

"You don't understand what I want from you..."

"Yes I do, Zaraki! I understand you, but obviously you don't understand me! Did you ever think there was a reason why I hate men? Did you ever think about that, Kenpachi?!"

The sudden use of the name "Kenpachi" got the larger man's attention, even though his eyes were already focused on Kohana.

"Tell me why then!"

"I-I...only if you agree to listen to it all!"

Kenpachi sighed.

"Why would you think I wouldn't listen to it all?"

"Well, men can be..._impatient_."

Kohana felt around in the dim light for her Captain's hand. When she found it, she grabbed hold of it and held on to it tightly.

"Just listen..."

She whispered and gave a small smile.

"Just shut up and listen and maybe I'll give you a chance..."

**-end ch. 7-  
**

* * *

**A/N:** OK, OK. I know. This took forever, k? I got it. Just to let you know: 

**Chapter 8 will be a Flashback and a continuation of the last scene of this chapter. :)**

I thought you guys should know that is when I will reveal Kohana's past. Ugh. I'm not making up any excuses this time. Let's just say I was busy? Thanks. Anyways, Chapter 7 was decent. I swear I was scared of making this too long. Eh. Next chapter will be a bit steamy in the end, if you catch my drift (wink, wink). Art of Kohana is linked in my profile. I will be informing you guys of ideas for the next story I should do next chapter. Yes, get it through your heads now that **I will not be doing a sequel to **_**Flowers**_. I am considering a prequel, but that most likely will never happen and if it does it will be very short. My ideas for my next OC stories are: 2 Bleach OCs (A Past Mayuri x OC or Platonic Komamura x OC), a Naruto OC (An interesting Kakashi x OC), an Inuyasha OC (A very sad Naraku x OC) or a Fullmetal Alchemist OC (Re-writing my Roy x OC). I will tell you about those stories next chapeter, though. Reviews, as always, make me a happy girl.


	8. Past Flower

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach or its characters as they belongs to Tite Kubo, but I do own my Original Character in this story, Kohana Hisakane.

* * *

"_I am Hisakane Kohana."_

_The girl finally stood in triumph. She could finally acknowledge who she really was. She wasn't "the girl", she was "Kohana" and damn, it was good thing to say._

"_Not Kiyoko."_

_That was the name her dear, sweet brother and sister had called her. She hated it. It was boring and uncreative._

"_Not Leiko."_

_That was the name her so-called "friends" had called her. She despised it. It represented nothing, but pain and arrogance._

"_Kohana."_

_She smiled and said the name again._

"_Hisakane Kohana."_

_That was the name her former lover had called her. She loved every bit of it. _

* * *

**Ch. 8: Past Flower**

_A child ran through the streets of Northern Rukongai. She looked to be around the age of twelve, but you never could tell the true ages of spirits. Her messy, pink hair was short and choppy. It wasn't her fault, though. Her brother and sister never told her _not_ to cut her own hair. Her brother and sister never even bothered asking the child if she actually wanted their hand-me-downs. The two just kept on giving her torn after torn kimono. They couldn't afford anything else._

"_Kiyoko-chan! Get back over here now!"_

"_But nii-san! I want to stay out a little longer!"_

_The child ran over to her older brother. He was tall with dark red hair and matching eyes. He had eyes just like the child's. He smiled and looked at the girl. Her brother's name was Hiroshi. He was generous._

"_It doesn't matter, kid. Yumiko's actually got a dinner ready. She got paid today..."_

_The small girl jumped up and down with pure glee. The little days they ate were the best days of her life. There in Northern Rukongai District #77, a person could hardly ever put money in their pockets, let alone eat a decent meal. It was hard for the child. She loved eating so much, but she barely got to do it._

"_Nee-sannnn! We're home!"_

_The petite girl ran into the small, cramped shack that was the trio's house. Her older brother followed behind her. The air in the room was different. Instead of smelling damp and like blood, it smelled sweet like sugar. It was comforting._

"_Oh. Kiyoko-chan! Hiroshi! Dinner's almost ready..."_

_A pink-haired woman stood cooking their meal. Her hair was long, wavy and full of curls. Her kimono was made of a far more expensive material than either the man or child was wearing. Everything about her was beautiful, even her name. Her name was Yumiko. She was the most beautiful girl with the saddest expression._

"_Yumiko, how was _he_ today? I assume he was good, after all he paid you quite a lot."_

"_Um. Well, it's not what you think, Hiro. We-We-"_

_The woman paused mid-sentence and looked at the child._

"_Kiyoko-chan? Be a good girl and set the table."_

_The child immediately ran off to put out plates and chopsticks._

"_It's not what you think, Hiro. Yasuo and I are in love. He only gives me money because he has it and he wants a better life...for all of us..."_

"_Really now? How much did you get?"_

_The man sighed. The woman started crying._

"_Enough for this food."_

_The woman completely broke down. She was sobbing so hard, crying her eyes out that the man let her fall into his arms._

"_Seeing her happy makes both of us happy..."_

"_Yes. It does..."_

_The woman stopped crying completely._

"_You're pregnant with his child. Aren't you? Yumiko?"_

"_Yes..."_

"_Then we have to..."_

_The brother and sister stood embracing each other when the child came bursting in the room._

"_Nee-san! I set the table!"_

_The two smiled._

_They didn't want to, but they would break the child's heart. _

* * *

"You see, I never knew my parents. Apparently they had died soon after I was born. My older brother and Sister acted like parents to me..." 

Kohana paused and decide to change the subject. She disliked talking about her parents.

"I remember two days after that..."

The pink-haired shinigami mused over her brother and sister's conversation. She sighed and looked over at her Taichou. He had his eyes sternly focused on his hand.

"My sister was on the ground, crying. My brother...stood beside her. He looked angry. I remember...being pulled away. I was crying my eyes out. I was being pulled away from the light of my family into the darkness of forced womanhood...I'll always remember that day...because that was the day my brother and sister died...at least to me..."

* * *

_A young woman stood in a dark room. She looked to be around the age of fifteen, but you never could tell the true ages of spirits. Her messy, pink and red hair was mid-length down to her shoulders and clipped back. She had on the most beautiful kimono full of reds, purples and yellows. Everything about her screamed "elegance", but she would have disagreed. To her, everything was sadness._

"_So, you're Leiko, huh?"_

"_Y-Yes...I-I am..."_

_A man looked at the girl. He smirked and began to run his hands over her body. The young woman cringed at the touch._

"_Now, now, Leiko. I payed good money for you and your pink hair."_

"_Y-Yes..."_

_The man touched her further and put his lips on the skin of her collarbone. He began to disrobe her. She cringed again._

"_This isn't your first time, is it?"_

"_No..."_

"_Then why are you so scared?"_

_He touched the girl's barren skin as he pushed her down on the nearest bed. The girl let out a frightened moan._

"_It-It's because...because being with men...is-is so uncomfortable..."_

_But scared or not, the girl wouldn't stop the man. She would do all she could for food, money, clothing and shelter. It didn't matter that she had to give up her body. _

* * *

"I hate the name Kiyoko, but I despise the name Leiko even more..." 

Kohana closed her eyes. She didn't even want to look at her Captain.

"I wasn't Kiyoko anymore. I was Leiko. I only became Kohana when I met a man. When I met the only man I think I can ever truly love...a man who gave his life...for me..."

* * *

_The young woman sat in a dark room. She looked to be around the age of seventeen, but you never could tell the true ages of spirits. Her messy, pink and red hair was mid-length down to her upper back and clipped in a heart hair pin. She had on the most beautiful kimono full of extravagant greens and purples. She sat across from an older man. He smiled._

"_What...What was your name again?"  
_

"_Yasashika. Hisakane Yasashika."_

_The girl looked up at the strange man. He was tall and had long, brown hair that covered his left eye. He smiled funny. Every time he smiled, the girl smiled as well. The man wore a green kimono top that was open enough to reveal most of his chest along with matching hakama pants. It was weird, but every time she looked at him he always smiled at her. It was sort of creepy, but she liked it._

"_Well, Hisakane-san-"_

"_Yasashika."_

"_Well, Yasashika-san, you are paying an awful lot to just sit and talk to me. I feel as though you're wasting your money."_

_The pink-haired girl crawled over to the man on her hands and knees. He lightly laughed._

"_Waste my money? I'm doing nothing of the sort. I enjoy talking to you, Leiko."_

_The brunette man paused and sighed._

"_Leiko, hm? That is such an unflattering name for one as pretty as you. You deserve a name of high beauty and elegance."_

_The girl sighed. _"Beauty and elegance? Hah! This guy must be on something..." _She thought. The petite woman didn't deserve such a name in her opinion._

"_Little flower...mind if I call you that?"_

"_N-No...I don't mind, but why?"  
_

"_Your hair."_

_Yasashika laughed and put his hand on the girl's head. He ruffled her hair and smiled._

"_Your hair reminds me of the most beautiful cherry blossoms in Seireitei..." _

* * *

"Yasashika always came to see me. We just talked. Nothing more. It was actually a relief because by then I had begun to hate both my body and myself. He gave me hope, he gave me peace, but he always failed to give me an actual escape." 

Kohana smiled. She always did when she thought about their first meeting.

"He was...truly an amazing man."

* * *

_The young woman sat in a rather bright room. She looked to be around the age of eighteen, but you never could tell the true ages of spirits. Her messy, pink and red hair was somewhat long down to her mid back and clipped in a jeweled hair pin. She had on the most extravagant kimono full of elegant reds and pinks. Yasashika sat in the same room with her. He cradled the small woman in his arms._

"_My little flower, what is your favorite color?"_

"_Blue."_

_Yasashika opened his eyes slightly. He was surprised._

"_Really? Not red?"_

_"I hate red."_

_"It looks good on you, though."_

_The girl grimaced. To her red was nothing, but the color of blood._

_"I prefer blue."  
_

"_Why?"_

_The pink-haired girl smiled. He always had to ask her questions like that._

_"It's like the sky..."_

_She spoke. Her face was calm. She wished she could see the sky, but she never got to leave this place. Here in this brothel all she ever got to see were the dirty faces of men and occasionally Yasashika._

_"Ah, Blue like the sky? What an elegant thing to say..."_

_The two laughed. He smiled even wider. He knew the woman didn't like being called elegant._

"_Someday, I'll take you out of this place...and show you the sky..." _

* * *

"A few weeks after that, Yasashika bought me this necklace..." 

Kohana paused as she felt the strand of blue colored pearls around her neck.

"It was the most beautiful thing I ever saw. That day was a first in our relationship. After he put this necklace on me, we made love for the very first time. It was different. He comforted me. He didn't want to do anything that would upset me or make me sad. I didn't know what love was until that day. Hell, I didn't even know what "love" meant. I always assumed it was something only humans could feel..."

The pink-haired woman glanced over at Kenpachi. He was frowning, but that wouldn't make her stop her story.

"Yasashika promised me that day that I could escape from that brothel with him. He had told me about a place in Soul Society called Seireitei. He said I had the potential to become a shinigami. He said if I went there I could have a better life...and I believed every single word..."

* * *

_A woman ran through an alley of Eastern Rukongai. Yasashika followed behind her. She looked to be around the age of twenty , but you never could tell the true ages of spirits. Her messy, pink and red hair was long down to her lower back and hung all over her face. Her extravagant kimono was no longer elegant. The red, yellow and purple kimono was torn and ripped all over the place. Yasashika didn't look too good either._

"_My little flower, we're almost there. Can you make it?"_

_"Of course...I can make it...Yasashika...san..."_

_She was out of breath. Yasashika frowned and stopped running._

_"Little Flower! I must kindly insist that you stop running."_

_The woman halted immediately and turned around._

_"Yasashika...I can continue on...I-I..."_

_The girl stuttered with every breath. Yasashika sighed._

_"I guess I have no choice. I knew it would come down to this..."_

_Yasashika drew out a blade. The woman couldn't believe him. She never would've thought he actually used the thing, let alone that he would use it on her._

_"Y-Yasashika-san!? W-What are you doing!?"_

_"Giving you my life..."_

_He opened his eyes for a bit, the yellow orbs reflecting the pale moonlight. He looked at his sword, his Zanpaktou, and pierced her heart._

_"Yasashika!"_

_The woman yelled. Somehow, she wasn't feeling pain. She felt as though something was being poured into her. She felt all his spiritual power being released into her body._

_"Become a shinigami, my little flower..."_

_Yasashika gasped. He was releasing all of his spiritual power into her. With every second, he was growing weaker and weaker._

_"I can never return to that place, but I want you to go there. Become a shinigami for me..."_

_The woman's eyes widened. She began to panic._

_"Yasashika-san! Yasashika?! Why can't you return to Seireitei?!"_

_Yasashika smiled one last time and stared at the girl._

_"I want you to be able to look at the sky and smile and...be the happiest girl in the world...Can you at least...do that...for me..."_

_The man's smile faded and the woman couldn't feel his spiritual power releasing into her anymore._

_"Yasashika?"_

_She said. There was no response._

_"Yasashika...how could you..."_

_The woman sobbed. Somehow, the sword in her heart was no longer there._

_"I could never be happy if you're gone!"_

_Yet, she began to feel pain where he had pierced her. _

* * *

"That was the day I adopted the name "Kohana". I took his last name on as well." 

Kohana smiled and looked over at Kenpachi. He was staring right at her. The pink-haired shinigami stared right back.

"I entered the shinigami academy soon after that. It was strange, but I felt much stronger. I knew it was all because of him. Even my Zanpaktou spirit knew it was all because of him. My Zanpaktou chose the name "Yasashika" as a sign of respect towards the man who made me powerful..."

The large Taichou sighed. Kohana stared quizzically at him.

"That it? You done with your story now?"

Kenpachi asked, sitting up.

"Yes...I am..."

"Good. It was getting too mushy for my taste."

Kohana gasped at the remark and looked the man straight into the eye.

"Mushy?! How dare you insult my past!"

"What do you want me to say?! "_Oh, I'm sorry you led such a depressing life! Maybe in a couple of years your dead boyfriend could resurrect himself and you two could live happily ever fuckin' after_." That sound better? Well, sorry, but the world ain't working that way. Ya can't just live your life day after day mourning the past! You gotta stand up and grab hold of the future!"

Kohana's captain yelled. The female shinigami couldn't speak. She didn't expect something like that from the man. In fact, his statement made her laugh.

"You bastard, I can't believe you really said that..."

"Well, it's true. That man, Yasashika or whatever, wouldn't want ya to spend your life mourning him. He'd want you to be happy."

The pink-haired woman froze. She glared at her Taichou for the longest time and smiled.

"You know, I think you might actually have a point there, Zaraki..."

Kohana crawled over to the man, leaning up to kiss him. Kenpachi gladly returned the gesture.

"What the hell was that for?"

"That, _if it wasn't oh so obvious_, was a sign that I'm ready to actually become 'your woman'."

Kenpachi sat there and wrapped his arms around the female shinigami.

"I thought you hated men..."

He began to nibble on her neck as he untied the sash of her yukata.

"Well, I guess I could make an exception...just for you..."

Kohana wasn't cured from her fear of men, but Kenpachi would help her get over it.

"Oh!...Kenpa...chi...please..."

One step at a time.

**-end ch. 8- **

* * *

**A/N:** I'M NOT DEAD! I DID NOT DIE IN A HORRIBLE FIRE OR TRAGIC CAR ACCIDENT AND THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT COME AND KIDNAP ME THIS TIME. OK? OK. I LOVE YOU ALL! I HOPE THIS CHAPTER WAS GOOD ENOUGH. KTHX. NOW READ THE REST OF THIS NOTE AND I WILL STOP TYPING IN ALL CAPS: 

So, those story ideas, well...I'm not telling you them. Why? Well...I have a secret. Yes, put it in your heads now that **I will be doing a sequel to **_**Flowers**_. Haha. I changed my mind over my absence. Yeah. I know. I actually came up with a story plot for a sequel. DUN DUN DUN! I will still be ending this story at Ch. 11, as my next story will stray away from division 11 more (but they will still be heavily involved in the plot) and focus on some certain other characters -wink, wink- that are also pretty sexy. Ehhh. Ch. 8 was hard to write for me. I dislike flashbacks apparently. I'll try to get the next chapter out quicker. Actually, I have a scene planned for the next chapter that will be absolutely hilarious, so I'll have fun writing. HAPPY KENPACHI'S BIRTHDAY! November 19th's Ken-chan's birthday. I'm having a party. Review and you might get invited. Hahaha.


	9. Suspicious Flower

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach or its characters as they belong to Tite Kubo, but I do own my Original Character in this story, Kohana Hisakane.

* * *

_The girl sighed. Kohana sighed._

"_Why? Why do I have to be in division eleven?"_

_She mourned. The pink-haired shinigami could say "It's not my fault my Zanjutsu skills are so amazing that I got noticed quickly and they decided to put me in the 'fighting division' of the Gotei thirteen," but it was entirely her fault._

"_That large man, that little girl, those unpleasant men who know nothing, but battle..."_

_Kohana twitched as she sighed again. She never wanted to be in division eleven,_

"_Maybe it won't be that bad...Yasashika..."_

_Or did she? _

* * *

**Ch. 9: Suspicious Flower**

"You are Hisakane Kohana, right?"

"Yeah. That'd be me. Who are you?"

Kohana had yet another day off today. She didn't feel like being outside, though. Actually she wanted to be outside so badly, but she couldn't go out until tonight. She had promised her Taichou a date under the cherry blossom trees. Kohana absolutely loved spring.

"Oh, me?"

The man stuttered. He looked to be surprised that Kohana had no idea who he was.

"I'm Aizen Sosuke, Taichou of Division five."

The female shinigami had decided since she was spending most all of her time indoors today that she might as well go and eat at her favorite bar in Seireitei. It was one of the rowdiest places in Seireitei at night, but during the day hardly any one at all went in it, let alone drink in it. Kohana didn't care, though. She enjoyed their food any time of the day.

"Yeah. You. You're Momo's Taichou? Well, have a seat if you want. I don't care."

The pink-haired woman said in between bites. Truth be told, she seriously had no idea who "Aizen Sosuke" was. She was horrible with names. Unless you pissed her off, you usually didn't leave an imprint big enough for Kohana to remember you in her mind.

"Why thank you, I believe I will."

Kohana didn't like _strange_ men and this man surely was strange. Maybe it was his glasses? No, that couldn't be it. Maybe it was his hair? No, it was just boring and brunette. Maybe it was his smile? Well, Kohana could never be one to talk about creepy smiles. After all, she wore a creepy one herself. Kohana wondered what it was that made this man so strange and then she knew it. It was the fact that he knew her name before even speaking to her. Now, that was creepy.

"If it would be all right with you, I would like to buy you a drink, Hisakane-san."

He sat right next to her. Kohana stared at him for a moment as she stuffed yet another piece of grilled octopus in her mouth. She was half confused and half shocked at Aizen's statement. This man was_ too _nice. That was another thing that made him strange. Even if he was her good friend's superior, Kohana didn't like the man.

"I'm afraid Zaraki Taichou would kill you if he heard that offer, Aizen_ Taichou_."

Kohana smiled and gulped. She implied his status as a way to get him to back off. Besides, she was taken and Kenpachi would "kill any bastard who even dared to look at his woman the wrong way."

"And besides, the only thing I drink is water."

She motioned to her glass of lukewarm water. Aizen laughed, something Kohana didn't find too appealing. She didn't really want to speak with him, but didn't want to tell him to "get the hell away from me!" Kohana didn't appreciate rudeness, so she decide not to speak at all. She drowned in the awkward silence that lasted a good five minutes. It was probably the only moment in her life that Kohana ever wished she couldn't eat anymore. She was tempted to get her check and run out of there, but wanted to finish her food. Silence annoyed her, but what annoyed her more was the question or statement that usually broke the silence. That was the real awkward moment.

"So...how was Yasashika before he died?"

The brunette man casually asked as if it was no big deal. Kohana almost fell out of her seat after hearing those words. _"He's a stalker, isn't he? Isn't he? ISN'T HE?" _She thought. Kohana didn't know what to think. Either he was a stalker or somebody was hiding something from her. The only people she ever mentioned Yasashika to were Yumichika, Nanao, and Kenpachi and she knew none of them would ever tell. Maybe Aizen was a stalker and he assumed since Kohana was friends with Hinamori that she told Hinamori her past and that he could play it off as "Momo told me about it." Any way she thought about it still unsettled Kohana enough to make her almost drop her food.

"Y-Yasashika?! Oh...Oh...He was..._nice_..."

She paused for a moment and stood up.

"CHECK PLEASE!"

Kohana yelled. She had finished her last piece of food and looked around frantically.

"Oh, you're finished already, Hisakane-san? I was wondering when you would actually get full. I had no idea little girls like you had such big appetites."

Aizen continued on as if he saw no shred of panic in Kohana at all. The woman looked over her shoulder and gave her trademark nervous-sincere smile. She hadn't done that in a while.

"Ha...ha...you're suspicious..."

She mumbled. Kohana turned around to see her check placed neatly on the bar counter. She changed her smile to a more relieved one. She placed a large sum of money on the counter. It was definitely more than enough to cover her check, but Kohana didn't care. She turned around and took one last look at Aizen. He stood there, shocked. Had Kohana said something bad? Oh well, whatever. She smiled at Captain Aizen.

"Good day, sir."

Kohana began to walk away, leaving Aizen at the bar. She didn't like that man.

"Suspicious, huh?"

He laughed. The brunette also paid for his check. It wasn't much, though.

"Something funny, Aizen Taichou?"

A very familiar voice chimed in. Aizen turned around.

"Why yes, Gin. A certain pink-haired woman made me laugh..."

Kohana had good reason to dislike that man. He was the most suspicious one of them all.

* * *

Things were beautiful this time of year. All the cherry blossom trees were in full bloom. Not only that, but it was night and the petals seem to give off an evanescent, but beautiful glow. Kohana smiled as she sat her self underneath a tree. It was the same tree she had slept under her first night in Seireitei. She grinned as she felt a petal fall on her head and titled her head down so the petal fluttered into her hand. The pink-haired woman laughed as she compared the petal to her hair. 

"So they are the same color, huh?"

Kohana looked up to Kenpachi walking over to her. She giggled quietly before looking at him with a defiant glare.

"Bout' time you got here, you bastard. I was getting worried you know!"

The female shinigami looked up to see that Kenpachi had paused right in front of her. She had called him out to look at the cherry blossoms, but what mattered to him was the fact that they were doing it together.

"Aw, Hisakane, I didn't know you cared."

He smirked as he sat down right next to her. The large man looked up at the sky. It was dark. Something about the way he looked tonight allured Kohana. It made her want to be close to him. Somehow she ended up leaning against his arm.

"Well, I'm not heartless, Zaraki..."

Kenpachi grabbed hold of Kohana, dragging her into his arms. The couple sure had become close in the past couple of weeks. Kohana had even broken her "only for the Winter" rule now that they had actually become a couple. The woman still disliked showing affection in public and she still hadn't gotten over her fear of men (well, it had subsided to a gentle hatred at least). Kohana didn't want to believe that she had fallen in love again. She didn't want to believe it so she hadn't said it to him at all. She hoped he would understand how she felt even if they didn't speak.

"Kohana..."

Her Taichou whispered her name. Kohana looked up and placed her lips on his to stop any more words from coming out. Kenpachi took this as a sign that he could kiss her as hard and as passionate as he wanted. He couldn't say what he wanted to say, but he didn't care. Kissing her had more emotion in it than any words could ever hope for.

"See, Nanao-chan, _that's_ the kind of relationship we should have!"

The kiss abruptly ended. Panting, Kohana looked over to see none other to see her good friend, Ise Nanao, and her superior, Taichou of Division eight, Kyoraku Shunsui. The pink-haired woman had mixed feelings about the messy, lazy brunette man and the cold, strict black-haired woman. She held a nervous smile until she saw Nanao hit her Captain with her book, causing him to almost fall over. That made Kohana burst out laughing.

"Sir, I do believe that _they_ can only pull off a relationship as unprofessional as _that_."

Nanao glared over at Kohana. Kohana returned her glare with a smile which eased her friend's mood. The black-haired woman turned around to face her Taichou. Kohana laughed and winked at Shunsui. It was something that would have angered Kenpachi had he not known about Kohana's plan. She wanted Nanao and Shunsui together, something he knew would take some time.

"It's good that you took my advice, Kyoraku Taichou."

Kohana giggled and snuggled closer to Kenpachi. She had advised him to bring Nanao to view the cherry blossoms later on that night. If she refused, he could always make up an excuse. She knew excuses were one of his specialties. Shunsui grinned and took out his Sake bottle. Kenpachi's eyes lit up when he saw it. Both Captains enjoyed drinking, but their women absolutely hated it.

"You up for a drink, Zaraki?"

Shunsui watched as Nanao sat down near Kohana. He sat adjacent to his Fukutaichou. The messy man took out a cup of Sake to pass to Kenpachi. The larger man grinned and gladly accepted it.

"Thanks, Kyoraku, I appreciate it."

He said as he took a large swig of Sake. Kenpachi slowly shifted his grip around Kohana from her shoulder to her waist. It was more convenient that way, but that way just made her blush furiously.

"Uh...yeah...I ag-agree..."

Kohana stuttered as she tried to continue her conversation with Nanao. It was too embarrassing, though. Nanao blushed lightly as she saw Kenpachi's hand looped around Kohana's waist. Shunsui found this incredibly cute and not like Nanao at all.

"If you want, Nanao-chan, we can be just like them..."

Shunsui had put his Sake cup down long enough to grab hold of Nanao's waist. Nanao, of course, responded by hitting him with her book. Kohana and Kenpachi both laughed slightly. The pink-haired shinigami shook her head as she looked in the opposite direction. She noticed someone. It was someone she knew.

"Momo! Momo, is that you?"

She called out. It looked to her like that was Hinamori Momo, Fukutaichou of Division five, and with her was none other than her Captain, Aizen Sosuke. Somehow, Kohana wished the small girl had never brought her Taichou when Kohana invited her to view the Cherry Blossoms with her and Kenpachi, but the creepy man was better than the white-haired, grumpy runt or the blonde, emo boy or even Renji. She never really cared too much for Renji.

"Kohana-san!"

The small shinigami ran up to where Kohana, Kenpachi, Shunsui and Nanao were located. Even though Kohana held an inferior rank, the girl still addressed her with a bit of formality. Maybe it was due to the fact Kohana acted like a mother to her?

"Oh, why don't you and Aizen Taichou sit and join the festivities?"

Kohana smiled and looked at the girl. Hinamori looked over at her Taichou. He smiled as well and motioned for her to sit down. Kohana didn't like the fact she had to look at him before sitting down. It seemed like too much of a dependent action.

"Uh, yes. I guess we will..."

Momo was blushing. Obviously, it had taken a good amount of courage for her to ask her Captain to view the cherry blossoms with her. Kohana watched as both Aizen and Hinamori sat down next to each other. Shunsui passed Aizen a cup of Sake and Aizen was too much of a gentleman to refuse.

"Something wrong, my little flower?"

Kenpachi whispered into Kohana's ear. Kohana had been staring at Aizen for a good five minutes now. She was watching to see if he would do anything the slightest bit suspicious.

"Nothing's wrong, I just don't like _him_..."

She sighed and looked over at Shunsui and Nanao who were absorbed in a conversation and judging by the blush on Nanao's cheeks, a very intimate one was going on between them.

"Huh, Kyoraku? You don't like him?"

"No, well...I don't like Kyoraku, but I mean _him_!..."

Kohana whisper-yelled. She looked over at Aizen again who was looking at a cherry blossom petal with Hinamori. She laughed at something he said and he smiled. It was that same smile Kohana absolutely despised.

"Oh, Aizen? Why the hell do you not like him? He seems like a decent guy..."

The pink-haired shinigami hated how that man was holding the color of her hair in the palm of her hand. It sickened her to watch him and Hinamori together.

"No real reason. He's just suspicious..."

The female blurted out. She smiled as she noticed how the other four shinigami were too absorbed in themselves to pay any attention to the others around them. That gave Kohana an idea on how to escape being three feet away from Aizen. She leaned up and kissed Kenpachi again, but this time it wasn't so tender. It was fierce and passionate and was completely not like her. Kenpachi dropped his Sake cup as he wrapped his arms around his fourth seat.

"Oh, you two! Get a room!"

Kenpachi broke the kiss to look over at Shunsui who snickered rather loudly. Nanao didn't look over at them and Aizen and Hinamori were rather shocked, or at least that's how they _looked_. Hinamori held a finger to her lips and tilted her head down as to not look at her Captain and Aizen smiled as he put a hand on his Lieutenant's shoulder. Kohana was expecting every single one of these responses.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot that we weren't inside _yet_."

She smiled seductively and looked at Kenpachi. The large man had no idea what was going on, but he rather enjoyed it.

"Well, you want to go inside, Hisakane?"

Kohana looked down and then back up. She puffed her lower lip out.

"Only if you want to, Zaraki _Taichou_."

This act was confusing the hell out of Division eleven's Taichou. What was this woman up to this time? He sighed and was about to speak when another spoke instead.

"Go ahead and satisfy your woman, Zaraki! I can assure you we won't miss you too much!"

Shunsui had called out. Apparently he was the only one out of the group who got Kohana's thinking and that was sad. Kohana didn't really like Division eight's Taichou.

"Kohana-san, y-you can l-leave if you want."

Hinamori meekly said. Kohana smiled. She knew the girl was disappointed so Kohana felt a tad bit guilty, but Kohana didn't want that strange man to even look at her, let alone talk to her.

"I think we will, right, _Kenpachi_?"

Kohana grabbed his hand. She started to walk away as she waved to everyone she was leaving behind. They arrived at Kenpachi's room only minutes later. The pink-haired shinigami looked at her watch. She gasped as she saw what time it was. It wasn't even 9pm yet.

"That bastard! If he wasn't so suspicious, I could still be there!"

The female shinigami yelled. The large Taichou laughed as he picked Kohana up in his arms.

"You're the one who wanted to come back here, my little flower..."

He grinned as he dropped Kohana on his futon. Kohana sighed loudly. She wasn't in to doing things this early, but since Yachiru was already being babysat by Ikkaku and Yumichika, Kenpachi decided to go for it.

"Uh...yeah...but..."

Kohana was in for a _long_ night.

**-end ch. 9- **

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**A/N:** So, first off: **I will be doing a sequel to **_**Flowers**_.** I will be doing a sequel to **_**Flowers**_.** I will be doing a sequel to **_**Flowers**_. Yes. I would like to say that just to make it clear. Next chapter will be my finale and then I'll have an epilogue. I will not post Ch. 10 until the epilogue is done as well. After that, I will begin production on the sequel. I tell you, this story is one of my favorites that I've done and the sequel won't be as light-hearted, but still will be interesting. Ch. 9 was good. The first scene makes me laugh. FORESHADOWING! What? I didn't say a thing. Hahaha. Ilyguys. Oh, check out _Kenpachi Saves Christmas_, will you? That'd be pretty cool. I think I'll take my time next chapter and thank all of you reviewers. Your reviews really do make me smile and/or laugh every time I see them. I thank you and hope you continue to review my story. :) 


	10. Last Flower

**Disclaimer #1:** I do not own Bleach or its characters as they belong to Tite Kubo, but I do own my Original Character in this story, Kohana Hisakane.

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**Disclaimer #2: **Prepare for some major shock value, implications of yaoi (just mentioned, nothing more) and lots and lots of sadness.

* * *

_Kohana rushed left and right. She was late for her very first day as a shinigami._

"_Oh crap! Just my luck that I oversleep on my very first day!"_

_She yelled, running down the street. The girl saw a line of new recruits and no higher-ups around. Thankfully she was in time. The woman smiled._

"_I wonder where they are..."_

_Kohana pondered out loud. She froze as she heard the small sounds of the little girl, Kusajishi Yachiru. The female decided to look around until she noticed her Taichou and before she knew it the man appeared. Now, Kohana, knew Yachiru was her older sister's daughter upon first glance (that's how similar the small girl looked to her sister), but Zaraki Kenpachi?_

"_Interesting..."_

_Well, he rather scared her. _

* * *

**Ch. 10: Last Flower**

"Dammit! I can't believe him!"

Kohana cursed. She sat underneath her favorite tree for a second time that beautiful, Spring night. Tonight surely had been a _long_ night, but not the _long_ night the woman had been expecting. She had just ran away from a large argument with Kenpachi. It was the type of argument that made Kohana run out of the room, crying her eyes out while Kenpachi sat there and called himself an idiot. Kohana still cried in the aftermath. She despised crying, but couldn't stop her tears.

"That fuckin' bastard. I absolutely..."

She paused. That fight was still so vivid in her mind. She could recall every bit down to the last detail.

"...I-I don't hate him, but how can I love him after what he said?..."

The woman sighed and went over the details in her mind again. That bastard was going to get a piece of her mind next time she saw him.

* * *

"_My little flower..."_

_Kenpachi called. The couple had finished round one of what looked to be a long night full of love-making. Kohana was laying down. She wanted to sleep, but couldn't so she got up. She smiled._

"_What is it, sweetheart?"_

_She said hazily. The blanket that was placed neatly around her and covered all her private areas almost fell. Kenpachi, though, pulled the blanket up. He didn't want to get distracted when he desperately needed to talk to his woman._

"_Listen, we need to talk..."_

_Those words always held a negative connotation. Kohana didn't like them so she thought about something else._

"_You know what I've never told you, Kenpachi?"_

_Her blatant disregard for his previous statement infuriated the larger man._

"_Kohana, you aren't listening to me. I told you that we need to talk!"_

_The pink-haired shinigami didn't want to listen. She didn't even want to speak, but if she didn't speak he would and Kohana didn't want that to happen._

"_You know what I've never ever __ever__ told you?"_

_Now she was just pissing Kenpachi off._

"_Listen, Hisakane, I need to know how you feel for me! I can never get a straightforward answer from you. You're such a difficult woman to read!"_

_Kohana smiled as she stared at her lover...her friend...her Taichou...and so much more..._

"_You know, I've never ever told you this, but I love you."_

_Her voice quieted for a brief second._

"_I love you, Kenpachi."_

_Kohana continued smiling. She couldn't tell the exact emotion in Kenpachi's eyes as the room they were in was so dark. How did he feel? Did he return her feelings?_

"_Love, huh? So you're sayin' that if me and Yasashika__ were side-by-side, both alive as can be, that you would pick me over him?"_

_The female gasped at his statement. On one hand, she was pissed that he would ever ask her something like that after she just confessed her love and on the other she was sad. How long had he been thinking about that?_

"_I-well...I-would...You see I-I..."_

"_Spit it out already!"_

_Kohana ran through the possibilities in her head. It wasn't possible, but if it was, what would she do? She didn't want to lie, but she also didn't want to answer him..._

"_I would choose...Yasashika..."_

_She declared. A single tear rolled down her face as she said those words. Kenpachi had a hard time figuring out how to respond to those words so they sat in silence for a good three minutes._

"_Leave then, Hisakane. If you would choose Yasashika over me, then I see no point in competing with a dead man."_

"_Kenpachi!?"_

"_LEAVE!"_

_Division eleven's fourth seat stumbled over to her clothes which were scattered all over the floor. Frantically, she put them on. She cried as she did so and didn't dare look at the man._

"_You know, Zaraki..."_

_Kohana smirked as rivers flowed from her eyes. She turned to look at him one last time before walking out the door._

"_What I said before was really true..."_

_The pink-haired woman sighed and walked out the door, closing it behind her. Kenpachi didn't move for around five minutes._

"_What was true? The part about choosing a dead man over me or the love part?"_

_He growled, and with that he slammed his fist hard into his floor._

_It was amazing it didn't break. _

* * *

"Now, why is a pretty, little thing like you crying? Did that mean, ol' Zaraki break your heart? 

Kohana stopped all her tears immediately upon hearing that voice. It was the voice of none other than Ichimaru Gin, the lowest form of scum in all of Seireitei. His voice alone made Kohana squeamish, but when you added in the silver hair, creepy fox-face and all the over sarcastic statements he made, you seriously had one creepy guy.

"Don't be talkin' shit you don't know nothin' about, Ichimaru!"

She quickly replied. Her reply only made Gin laugh, though.

"Now, now, that's not the way a nice, young lady should be acting. Right, Aizen _Taichou_?"

The female got up upon hearing that name.

"Shut the hell up, you goddamn bastard!"

She didn't want to believe it. Aizen and Ichimaru together? She had thought those two hated each other!

"Yes, little girls like her should really know their place."

Kohana turned around quickly to avoid Ichimaru who was coming near her. However, when she turned around she hit something that felt like a wall. It was Aizen's chest, though. Before she knew it, Gin was directly behind her and she was sandwiched between the two men.

"Get the hell away from me!"

The pink-haired woman violently broke away. She landed on her knees only feet away from the two. She started crying again.

"Aw, now Yasashika's girl really shouldn't be acting that way..."

Kohana didn't bother looking up as the two approached her slowly, but steadily.

"After Gin and I kicked him out, we thought we had lost all touch to Hisakane _Taichou_."

"Oh yes, after we killed little Hiroshi, we thought we would never hear the name "Hisakane" ever again."

Aizen and Gin stepped closer and closer to Kohana. With every step they took, the fourth seat's breath hitched. Her eyes had widened at the name "Hiroshi" and stayed that way. Hiroshi was her older brother's name.

"I still remember Yasashika. Now that was truly an amazing man! Hiroshi, wasn't so much. In fact, he was quite the nuisance..."

Gin placed his hand on Kohana's shoulder. The woman shivered at the touch. His hands were cold like death unlike Kenpachi's which were warm and comforting. The silver-haired Taichou turned Kohana around to look him in the eyes (even though he technically had them closed almost all the time). He smiled.

"What's wrong, _Hana dear_? You haven't heard this before?"

"No...when Yasashika died...in my arms...he told me he couldn't go back to Seireitei...but he never told me why..."

Ichimaru tilted her head up, moving her face towards his. Kohana knew he was doing this to provoke her to do something she didn't want to do so Kohana broke away and nothing more. She wouldn't play this sick bastard's games.

"I think we should tell her then, Gin. I mean, shouldn't Yasashika's ex-_girlfriend_ and Hiroshi's little sister know how her brother died and why her _boyfriend _couldn't return to Seireitei?"

Aizen chimed in. He was laughing between certain words. Kohana looked around to see where he was. He had positioned himself leaning against the tree. Something about that sort of angered Kohana. He looked so bored.

"Hm, I guess so? I don't mind telling her."

Gin smiled as she grabbed hold of both of Kohana's wrists with one hand and her waist with the other. He was surprisingly _very_ physically strong. Kohana couldn't move out of his grasp.

"Now, I don't think Zaraki even remembers all this. In fact, he came into things during it. If he would've known, he would've told you. Zaraki never had too good of a memory."

Kohana hadn't even thought about if Kenpachi had known all this. Was it that long ago that he wouldn't remember? Kohana didn't need an answer to that question. She knew that unless it was relevant to him, Kenpachi didn't remember things that far back. A better question is why hadn't Yasashika told her all of this? Why hadn't he told her that he was a Taichou?

"Hiroshi was a prodigy in every sense. He wasn't in the academy that long, but people already began to recognize him as strong, determined and respectable. He easily obtained Bankai and became Taichou, much like tenth division Taichou did."

Ichimaru smirked. Kohana looked over at Aizen again. He was still leaning against the tree. He looked even more bored than before. He smiled occasionally, but mainly stood there as he let Gin do whatever the hell he wanted.

"Yasashika, however, was completely opposite. He took his time and _worked_ his way up the ranks to become Taichou of division six with ruthless tactics and cunning strategies. He was the most respectable man of them all, besides Aizen Taichou at least. Hiroshi was nothing more than the grumpy, depressed runt that commanded division three before I usurped his position. I _really_ did not like that man."

Kohana desperately wanted to respond: "Good. He's dead to me anyway. I don't care," but Gin didn't deserve a response from her. He was still scum and that wouldn't change.

"I liked Yasashika. Maybe I liked him too much? After all, when I approached him about Aizen Taichou's plan to betray Soul Society, he wasn't too happy. In fact, he refused. Can you believe that? And here I thought he was the type of man who enjoyed having absolute power..."

The female shinigami gulped. Aizen and Gin were planning on betraying Soul Society? Wait, now that she knew were they going to kill her? Kohana didn't want to die or did she? It didn't matter. Kohana was uncomfortable in Gin's arms and she finally managed to push him away.

"Aw, now I was enjoying our time together, _Hana dear_."

The silver-haired man moved towards her again. Kohana began to run away until she ran into something again. It was Aizen who had decided to stop her and it just so happened that she recoiled into Ichimaru's arms which were wide open behind her. She_ so _did not want to be in this position again.

"Gin had never given thought to one thing and, well, neither had I. We wanted Yasashika to join us and he would've if it wasn't for Hiroshi..."

"You see, Yasashika and Hiroshi were in love."

Kohana's eyes grew wide as she gasped at the outrageous statement. _"No way! That isn't true! That can't be true! Yasashika loved me, not my brother!" _She thought over and over. Every time it went through her head she believed it less and less. Both men were enjoying watching her suffer.

"I had approached Yasashika with Aizen Taichou's offer, but he refused. You know what reason he gave? He told me it was because _"Hiroshi is the most important thing in the world. More important than power. More important wealth. More important than life. He's everything to me. "_ So we had to kill him. He knew our plan and we knew about the forbidden affair between two Taichous of the Gotei thirteen. Someone had to die. We tried killing Yasashika, though, but unfortunately the little runt got in the way. Truly a shame, huh? Your brother died protecting the man who died while saving you."

The female began shedding tears like mad. She didn't want to believe this. It wasn't true. Yasashika had never told her this. He would have told her this, but he never did. Kohana wanted to deny it, but she knew deep down inside that Gin wasn't lying. She was just in denial.

"What was even more of a shame was the little runt's final words, _"Find my sister. I only wish I could've been there for her," _as he lay dying in Yasashika's arms. How lame. I mean he didn't even tell Yasashika he loved him!"

Kohana pushed Gin away and fell to the ground. She still cried. Her brother had cared all this time? He cared enough to send Yasashika to her, but if Yasashika and him had been in love then Kohana wouldn't have wanted Yasashika to come to her in the first place.

"Hiroshi never told Yasashika to love you or buy you things or compliment you or sleep with you when Yasashika left Seireitei in search of you. He only told Yasashika to find you and take you out of that brothel. I doubt Yasashika was even in love with you. Knowing Yasashika as the cold, ruthless man that he was, he only saw Hiroshi in you. After all, with _that _spiky, pink and red hair and that _adorably_ creepy smile and those _gorgeous_ red eyes, I bet he only saw your brother when you two fucked."

The pink-haired shinigami gritted her teeth at his final statement of Ichimaru. Now, that was where the line had been crossed. She stood up and unsheathed her Zanpaktou. She didn't want to believe a word, but everything he had said made so much sense.

"You mother fuckin' bastard! Yasashika _wasn't_ like that! The Yasashika I knew was gentle and kind and loved _me_! The Yasashika you knew isn't the same! Don't you dare slander his name again!"

She raised her sword. Aizen smirked at the gesture and began to walk over to the tree.

"Oh, Gin, take care of this mess you started, will you?"

"It would be my pleasure, Aizen-sama."

Gin smiled immensely as he pulled out his Zanpaktou. He started walking towards Kohana.

"Well, we must be talking about two different Yasashikas. Sorry for making such a _horrible_ mistake."

Kohana charged forward. She cried. She never cried during battle. It was a strange feeling, but the tears mixed into her eyes as she moved and the blindness was actually quite welcoming. She didn't want to see him anyway. As she tried slashing at Gin, she began to think about those who she had cared for. Her sister was dead. Her brother was dead. Yasashika was dead. Kenpachi hated her guts and Yachiru? Well, Yachiru wasn't even her daughter. She was Yumiko's daughter. Kenpachi had confirmed to her that he found her in Northern Rukongai district #79, Kusajishi. That was the last place she had seen her sister. It was the last place she had seen her brother. Kohana knew she was pathetic. Somehow she always hurt the people she cared for. She was truly a fool.

"Aw,_ Hana dear_, that isn't going to do! I want to see Yasashika at his _very_ best."

The silver-haired man smirked. Kohana was being too reckless. She didn't want to use her shikai, but she figured she would have to even if it was a risk in her condition. Carrying a sword as big as hers was a burden and Kohana was running out of breath faster than normal.

"Goodbye...Yasashika..."

Yet, somehow those words came out and lifted her spirit as her Zanpaktou began to grow in size. They were her release in more ways than one.

"Good, Good. Now, shoot her dead, Shinso!"

The woman ducked and covered herself with Yasashika. Shinso, she had to admit, was terrifying in the way it extended. She was _actually_ scared. Kohana didn't know if Yasashika could handle the pressure from the elongated blade. She hoped it could, but hoping didn't always turn out the best for Kohana. Kohana was, however, grateful that Yasashika was a big sword.

"May the devil drag him down, Yasashika!"

Kohana yelled as Yasashika grew red and she chopped the air in front of her. Unfortunately, by doing her special attack she left herself open and Shinso was able to pierce her stomach, but Kohana was trying to drag Gin literally and metaphorically down to hell and this time she wouldn't stop and let her opponent live. Kohana watched as Gin was being pulled into the ground. She smiled, her tears were beginning to dry up. It couldn't be over, could it? No, Aizen was still there, wasn't he?

"Oh,_ Hana dear_, don't count me out so soon."

Just then Kohana felt another pain, this time in her back. She turned to look behind her. Gin was there, but he was here? How could that be? He was dying, but he was living? Wait, this must be Aizen's doing!

"No, you-you can't be...If you're there then I lost...I-I can't lose to you!..."

She felt Gin pull out of her back and he began to slash at her many times. On her chest, on her shoulder, on her face, on her stomach, he slashed her all over. He accidentally managed to slice off a good portion of Kohana's red hair. Kohana couldn't believe this.

"Aizen-sama's Zanpaktou is special, _Hana dear_. It does something called _hypnosis_."

That was it. Kohana knew she was finished. She looked forward and no longer saw Gin dying. She saw Aizen instead. He was laughing.

"No, it-it can't be! I-I'm going to die?"

She felt Gin pull his sword out of her again as he had pierced her only seconds before. She looked around. Yasashika had transformed out of his Shikai? That meant her wounds were more serious than they felt.

"My little flower, you are going to feel something much better than death."

The pink-haired woman heard Aizen's voice. He approached her and Kohana's body began to feel numb. No, she couldn't die! What about Ikkaku and Yumichika and Maki-Maki and Nanao? What about Kyoraku and Kurotsuchi and Ukitake and Momo? What about Kenpachi and Yachiru? She had so many people to live for!

"Isn't that right, Gin?"

"Yes, Aizen-sama, it truly is a feeling better than death."

Gin snickered with excitement s he pushed Kohana near her tree. Kohana landed flat on her face. Aizen smirked as he towered over her. He picked Kohana up and slammed her against the tree. She reached for her Zanpaktou, but it was so far away.

"Goodbye..."

She felt Aizen stab her heart. She couldn't hear a single word he said anymore. Kohana smiled. The cherry blossoms fluttered down as at the brunette man in front of her kept mouthing something over and over. He was saying something, but all Kohana noticed was the beauty of the blossoms. She loved this time of year.

"Kenpachi..."

And then everything went black.

**-end c****h. 10****- **

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**A/N:** This chapter makes me sad. Eh, but I love tragic romances. It's my thing. Anyways, before you move on to the epilogue, I would just like you to know that I thank the following people: Alumias, AnimeWitch02, BishiHunter123, BloodyDragoon, Breezy411, Byakuxhisa4eva, Celeris,** Conterra-san**, Corrigan Rose, Crystalline Dream, Cyr, Dead Heart, FluffyDog2006, Fuzzy Makes Me Happy, Genisyn69, GreenEyedGrimKitty, **Ishasuki Mitochi**, Jeneysa, Kaitou Tenshi, Kei-Ten, KillmeKissme15, KitsueMage, Kumori no Carlie, Legend of Shadow, Legostrat, Lirael Abhorsen, Loves Her Friends, Milli Tora, Mizuki Assasin of the Mist, Myrna13, Poet Bucky, Reaping But Never Grim Riley Baragon, **Se-chan**, Sesshylover978, SheWhoIsLost, SleepMotherWar, SmartOotori, Sulhadahne, Tainted Light, The D.o.D, The Yuri Gnome, ThePranksterQueens, The butterfly from hell, TwitchyKid, Z-AKA Andrea-, black dimanond, creedboy, dark soul 1313, darkangel211101, darkheart1992, **deathberry1392**, dfxcm, greenteamachine, half-demon priestess, hawkeye 207, kittykitty03, kirara939, little-girl-in-a-big-world, necromancer king, otakubandgeek, rallybabe89, ryosa echizen, sonia555220, sorikarona, trust-is-false, uaintRICHazimiz1, and ulkoilla! People in** bold** are people who I really really thank. Check them out, plz? All people on that list are people who either favorited or alerted my story. Review this chapter or the Epilogue and you'll make me happy. :) 


	11. Epilogue

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach or its characters as they belong to Tite Kubo, but I do own my Original Character in this story, Kohana Hisakane. I don't own the lyrics in this Epilogue either. They're the translation of the song "We" off of Kenpachi's Beat Collection. Check it out.

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**Epilogue**

_We give our all in whatever we challenge.  
We roar when we recognize defeat.  
On that day, we are certain in our grasp.  
Even when our blades break into shapeless forms,  
In our hearts we will not regret  
The way we hold onto our goals and dreams.  
Those words from that day are carved  
within us, especially those words of yours._

Zaraki Kenpachi will always remember that last moment he shared with Hisakane Kohana, fourth seat of division eleven. He'll always remember the next morning when he found out she had died. He cursed himself that whole day. Ikkaku and Yumichika went to Kenpachi after Kohana had not shown up to training the next morning. Kohana had never missed training before and had never been late until recently. They didn't know, though, that their fourth seat had been brutally murdered. Yumichika had been the first to discover her body located underneath her favorite tree. He screamed in terror when he saw it. Ikkaku was not far behind him and he began to yell at her for being stupid enough to get herself killed when he saw it. When Kenpachi arrived, well, that's when things began to crumble. Kenpachi was absolutely furious towards himself, Kohana and the reasoning behind Kohana's death.

_It falls on us like sunlight,  
The glory in battles._

Word spread through Seireitei like wildfire. Kenpachi spent that entire day near that tree. He didn't speak. In a way, he thought all of this happened because he opened his big mouth and said what was on his mind. He regretted telling Kohana to leave. He wondered what her final words were, what she thought about him before she died, and who killed her and why. It was a murder all right. Her body had multiple sword wounds all over. The question was, though, who killed her? You see, Kohana didn't get along with _A LOT_ of people.

_I had nothing, no present, no future,  
Not even a name.  
I expected my world to end.  
Isn't it sweet and interesting now  
I can smell the flowers?  
When you gave me a name  
My world is complete, yes, complete._

Yachiru had found out quickly. She spent the entire day locked inside her room, crying. Multiple division eleven members tried to coax her out of her room, but no one succeeded. Ikkaku and Yumichika had to beg Kenpachi to go and talk to her and Kenpachi finally did. The two mourned her together. Yachiru cried the tears Kenpachi couldn't. The whole division eleven was silent that day. Occasionally members from other divisions would come and wish them their condolences.

_The sunny days of spring go by  
With the wind blowing like this.  
We fight in the middle of a bamboo forest.  
I am counting how many white clouds  
Are dancing in the sky.  
We think about now and we smile._

Among those who wished them condolences were Hinamori Momo and Aizen Sosuke. Hinamori cried her eyes out and Aizen was there comforting her. Hinamori didn't know it was Aizen who had killed her. Ise Nanao and Kyoraku Shunsui also came by. Nanao looked like she wanted to cry and Shunsui smiled. He smiled so Nanao wouldn't cry. He hoped he could be there for her and Kohana's death helped the couple grow closer.

_We give our all until we break,  
It gives us pleasure and fun.  
No tea is not bitter, so pour out what you've got,  
but even then your life won't get better.  
We always, always, seek pleasure in fighting.  
We always, always enjoy fighting as a hobby._

The weeks after that seemed to be the same as before her death, just minus Kohana. Ikkaku and Yumichika didn't spend any time mourning as they wanted to keep their division stable and in line. In a way Kenpachi's wish that he made at Tanabata only around a year ago came true. Yachiru had grown out of wanting a family. She continued buzzing about and being happy, but occasionally when no one was around her face would grow sad and she would think of Kohana. Kenpachi grew rather distant from the others. He probably was the one who took it the worst out of them all.

_It falls on us like sunlight,  
The feeling only fighting can give.  
The sunny days of spring go by  
With the wind blowing like this.  
We rejoice when we fight.  
I am counting how many white clouds  
Are dancing in the sky  
When our thoughts and ourselves are out there.  
What makes us come back are these good times._

A new female recruit came to division eleven around two months after Kohana's death. Kenpachi didn't give her any attention. He was grateful that she was more interested in Ikkaku and that she was Kohana's polar opposite. He made up his mind after seeing the recruit that he wouldn't love a woman or anybody else for a long time. His only love would be battle. When he met Kurosaki Ichigo a year after Kohana's death, he was surprised that he lost, but he wanted Kohana to be there. He wanted Kohana to be there and laugh at him or worry over him or just be there and smile at him and tell him "everything will be fine." When Aizen left, when he betrayed Seireitei, that's when all hell broke loose. Kenpachi's fourth seat _disliked_ that man. She _hated_ Ichimaru. She_ despised_ Tousen. That's when it set in. They had killed her.

_We will live on, we'd love to live on like this._

Division eleven wasn't going to have another fourth seat for a long time.  
Kenpachi was going to make sure of that.

Division eleven did eventually move on with their lives, though.  
After all, wouldn't she have wanted it that way?

**-end _Flowers_- **

* * *

**A/N:** THE SEQUEL WILL BE CALLED _Petals_ AND WILL BE OUT VERY SOON. Ok? Ok. Sad, I know? Don't hate me for it. Ch. 9 was supposed to balance out Ch. 10. I like poignant romance. The sequel will focus on Kohana still. Just to make it clear, the new female recruit I mentioned in the end is my best friend's OC, Shizuka (she'll probably be in Ch. 1 or 2, depending on where I place a certain scene, but nothing else really besides that). My friend has a thing for Ikkaku and I love Kenpachi and my other friend (who has a Gin OC) loves Yumichika. The sequel will not center on Kenpachi, but some other characters. Who? Well, 5 plus 6 equals 11, of course! What? You didn't understand that? It's cryptic for a reason. What? What's going to happen? I can't tell you, but be on the look out for _Petals_ coming near you soon. Review, please! I would really really really really appreciate it. 

**UPDATE:** _Petals _is out. Go check it out if you haven't already, will ya? You know you want to... :)


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